If you are planning building work near a shared boundary — or your neighbour is — the Party Wall Act may apply, and a party wall award may be needed. It sounds daunting, but the process is well established and exists to protect everyone. Here is how it works and when it matters.
When the Party Wall Act applies
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 covers certain building works involving shared walls and boundaries. Broadly, it applies when you want to carry out work to a shared (party) wall, build on or at the boundary line with a neighbour, or excavate within a defined distance of a neighbouring building’s foundations. Common triggers include loft conversions involving the party wall, extensions near or on the boundary, and basement or foundation works close to next door. If your project involves any of these, the Act is likely to apply.
Notice comes first
The process begins with the person doing the work — the “building owner” — serving formal notice on the affected neighbour, the “adjoining owner”, within the timescales the Act sets out. The neighbour can consent, in which case matters can proceed simply, or dissent, in which case a dispute is deemed to arise and surveyors become involved. Dissent is not hostile — it is a normal part of the process, and simply triggers the protective procedure.
The party wall award
Where a dispute is deemed to arise, a party wall surveyor (or one for each party) is appointed to produce a party wall award. The award is the document that sets out how and when the work may proceed: what can be done, the way it should be carried out, protective measures, hours of work, and access. It is usually accompanied by a schedule of condition recording the state of the neighbour’s property before work starts, so any damage caused by the works can be fairly identified and put right afterwards.
The award protects both sides — the building owner gets a clear, agreed basis to proceed, and the adjoining owner gets their property protected and a record to fall back on.
Why use a party wall surveyor
The Act has specific requirements, timescales and procedures, and getting them wrong can delay a project or leave it open to challenge. A party wall surveyor handles the notices, the award and the schedule of condition properly, so the work proceeds on a sound footing and neighbourly relations are protected. Whether you are the one building or the neighbour affected, having the process handled correctly is in everyone’s interest.
At Emerald Ritter we act as party wall surveyors across the region, handling the full process from notice to award. If you or your neighbour are planning work that may involve a party wall, talk to us early — getting the process right from the start makes everything smoother.
