party wall surveyor london Archives

Who Pays for Party Wall Surveyors? Party Wall Notice Costs & Rights Explained for Adjoining Owners

Written by adminOctober 14, 2025

If your neighbour is planning works such as a chimney breast removal, loft conversion, single or double storey extension or basement extension, you may have received (or expect to receive) a Party Wall Notice. Understandably, many Adjoining Owners are concerned about their rights, how to protect their property, and crucially — who pays the bill!The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 sets out clear procedures to ensure both you and your neighbour are protected when building works affect a shared or adjoining structure. This blog will explain what Party Wall Notices mean for you as the Adjoining Owner, how a Party Wall Surveyor can help, and who pays the bill!

What Is a Party Wall Notice?

A party wall notice is a formal letter served by the Building Owner. It informs the Adjoining Owner that their notifiable works may affect your property and gives you the right to consent or dissent.

Works that commonly require a notice include:

Chimney breast removal (where the chimney is attached to a party wall)
Loft conversions (cutting into the party wall to insert beams)

Single or double storey extensions (excavations near shared or non-shared structures)

Basement extensions (excavations near shared foundations)
Extensions on or close to the boundary line

Demolition works

The notice must be served correctly and within the required timeframe. Otherwise, if the Building Owner chooses to proceed with notifiable work without providing formal notice, should any damage occur to your Adjoining Owners property, it will result in costly disputes.

Why Party Wall Notices Matter for Adjoining Owners?

Party wall notices are not just paperwork; they are your opportunity to:

Protect your property by ensuring a Surveyor records its current condition before works begin.
Have a say in how the works are carried out, reducing risk to your home.
Prevent disputes by creating a legally binding agreement (the Party Wall Award).

By responding properly to a notice, you safeguard your position and avoid being caught off guard by unexpected issues.

Your Options When You Receive a Party Wall Notice

When a notice arrives, you have four possible responses:
1. Consent: Allow the works to go ahead without appointing a surveyor.

Risk: If damage occurs later, you may need to prove it was caused by the works.

2. Consent subject to a Schedule of Condition: Appointing a Surveyor to records the condition of the neighbouring property prior to the commencement of the neighbouring works.

Benefit: Protects both parties in the event a dispute in relation to damage arises.

3. Dissent and Appoint an Agreed Surveyor: Both you and your neighbour jointly appoint one impartial Surveyor.

Benefit: Protects your property while keeping costs lower.

4. Dissent and Appoint Your Own Surveyor: You appoint a Surveyor to represent you, while your neighbour appoints theirs.

Benefit: Extra reassurance, as your Surveyor’s duty is to protect your interests.

Who Pays for Party Wall Surveyor Costs?

The Building Owner (your neighbour planning works) usually pays.
They are responsible for all reasonable costs arising from the party wall process, including surveyor fees.

As the Adjoining Owner, you rarely pay.
The only time you might contribute is if you request additional work that benefits you (for example, if you ask your neighbour to carry out extra works on your behalf or if your require your Surveyor to carry out additional site visits outside of the usual protocol).

Typical Costs of Party Wall Notices & Surveyors

For context, here’s what costs usually look like in London:

Party Wall Notice

Served by Building Owner / surveyor: £65-£150 per notice.
The Adjoining Owner does not pay this.

Surveyor Fees

Agreed Surveyor: £800–£1,500 total (covering both sides).
Two Surveyors (one each): £800–£3,500+ depending on complexity.
Schedule of Condition Report: £250–£600.

Again, these costs are the responsibility of the Building Owner — not the party impacted by the notifiable work, the Adjoining Owner.

The Role of a Party Wall Surveyor in Protecting You

A Party Wall Surveyor is your safeguard throughout the process. Their responsibilities include:

Preparing a Schedule of Condition (a detailed record of your property before notifiable works start).
Drafting the Party Wall Award, which sets out how notifiable works must be carried out.
Ensuring measures are in place to prevent or minimise damage.
Requiring the Building Owner to make good or compensate you if damage does occur.

If you and your neighbour appoint an Agreed Surveyor, they act impartially for both parties. If you each appoint your own, both Surveyors work together to agree the Award.

Timeline of the Party Wall Process for Adjoining Owners

Notice Received: Served at least 2 months before works on the party wall, or 1 month before excavations.
Respond within 14 days: Consent or dissent.
If dissent: Surveyor(s) appointed, Schedule of Condition prepared.
Party Wall Award: Served once all details are agreed.

5. Works begin legally: With protections in place for your property.

Key Protections for Adjoining Owners

By engaging with the process, you benefit from:

Legal protection: Works cannot proceed lawfully without notice and, if you dissent, without an Award.

Evidence of condition: The Schedule of Condition can help resolve potential disputes in relation to damage.

Compensation rights: If damage occurs, the building owner must cover repair or compensation.

Professional oversight: A surveyor ensures works are carried out safely and correctly.

FAQs About Party Wall Notices for Adjoining Owners

Can I refuse consent to my neighbour’s works?

You cannot stop lawful works, but you can control how they are carried out and ensure protections are in place.

Will the Adjoining Owner have to pay anything?

Generally, no. The Building Owner pays all reasonable Surveyor costs unless you request additional work that benefits you.

What if my neighbour starts works without a notice?

This is unlawful. You can seek an injunction to stop works until the party wall process is followed. However, we advise that you first seek advice from a qualified Party Wall specialist.

Do I need to hire my own Surveyor for Party Wall?

You can, and in complex cases it may be wise. However, many Adjoining Owners are comfortable appointing an Agreed Surveyor

What if damage occurs to my property?

The Party Wall Award will require the Building Owner to repair damage or pay you compensation.

How to Protect Yourself Without Paying the Bill

As an Adjoining Owner, your best steps are:

Respond promptly to notices — don’t ignore them.

Consider dissenting to ensure a Surveyor protects your interests.

Keep communication open with your neighbour while relying on professional Surveyors to handle legalities.

Remember: the Building Owner covers the costs.

If you have received a Party Wall notice, it is natural to feel uncertain about your rights and potential costs. The good news is that, as the Adjoining Owner, you are protected by law and usually won’t have to pay.

At Party Wall Guru, our experienced Party Wall Surveyors are here to guide you every step of the way — whether you need advice on responding to a notice, appointing an Agreed Surveyor, or understanding your rights under the Act.

Call us Today on 02080589883 to protect your property, avoid disputes, and move forward with peace of mind.

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Schedule of Condition for Party Wall

Written by adminJuly 4, 2023

When it comes to construction party wall projects involving neighboring properties, party walls play a
significant role. To make sure everyone is treated fairly and disputes are minimized without a considerable financial burden, it’s crucial to have a clear and detailed party wall schedule of condition. In this article, we’ll explain why this is so important for party walls and party wall process and how it can protect you and your property.

What is a Schedule of Condition?
A schedule of condition is a detailed record that describes the current condition of a commercial property or properties next to where construction is planned. It’s like a snapshot that captures how things
look before any work starts. This record is important for future reference and comparison in the
event of damage disputes.

When is a Schedule of Conditions Needed?
A schedule of condition is usually required when construction work could potentially affect the
structure of neighboring properties. By identifying any risks upfront, it helps protect the rights of
both the people doing the construction, both the Building Owner and the people living next door
(Adjoining Owner).

What Does a Schedule of Conditions Include?
A detailed schedule of condition includes written descriptions, photographs, and sometimes
videos. It provides a comprehensive view of the property’s current condition, allowing a
thorough assessment of any changes that might occur during or after the construction work. For
example of schedule of conditions, it can measure the size of cracks to help identify any new damage and understand the existing condition better.

The Role of a Party Wall Surveyor:
A Party Wall Surveyor, often a qualified surveyor from the RICS, is responsible for creating the
schedule of conditions. They have to be fair and unbiased. They arrange access to the
neighboring properties through the Adjoining Owner and conduct a detailed inspection. By
documenting any existing damage carefully, they make sure the condition report is
complete and accurate for party wall notices.

Benefits of Having a Schedule of Condition:
There are several advantages to having schedule of conditions. Firstly, it protects Building
Owner from false claims of damage, providing evidence to disprove any unfounded
accusations. Secondly, it protects the adjoining owner’s residential property as it serves as important
documentation for insurance purposes, making it easier to make claims if needed. Lastly, a
schedule of condition acts as a starting point for comparison in case of future disputes, helping
determine who is responsible for any new damage.

Case Study:

To understand how this process works in practice, let’s consider a dispute involving a
loft conversion. Under a party wall agreement produced by an Agreed Surveyor, a contractor
unintentionally caused damage to the neighbours property. Fortunately, because there was a
schedule of condition, the damage was quickly identified when the construction was completed.
By referring back to the initial report, the surveyor could determine if the damage was due to the
notifiable work and need for internal repair for legal or contractual reasons. This helped resolve the issue promptly and prevent further arguments. It ensures fairness, protects the rights of all parties involved, and reduces the likelihood of disputes and tenant’s repairing obligations. As a Chartered Surveyor, using a detailed schedule of condition party wall act strengthens your position, safeguards the Building Owners and Adjoining owners, and contributes to the success of construction party wall projects and obtain a party wall award.

Find out more and book a Schedule of Condition for your party wall project today! We are happy to help at The Party Wall Guru.

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What are the benefits of having Party Wall Agreed Surveyor?

Written by adminJune 6, 2023

When the Building Owner’s agreed party wall surveyor serves Party Wall Notices on behalf of the Building Owners, they are a number of options available to pick from at the luxury of the Adjoining Owners. However, as in the previous blog posts I have covered these options in detail, I won’t detail all of them here but simply put, if the Adjoining Owner’s decide they wish to dissent then they have the option to either appoint their own independent building owner’s surveyor or they can appoint a joint ‘Agreed Surveyor’.

In most instances if not all, having one party wall act ‘Agreed Surveyor’ is more cost effective and time efficient. There is more control over the process and any disputes are resolved more amicably than having two of your own party structure wall surveyor on board.

We are often asked the question ‘how can you maintain neutrality as a joint party wall surveyor?’. Well, the answer is that whilst the Act itself does not state your own surveyor must maintain impartiality, it is indicated by the clauses in the Act which state that adjoining owner’s property are prohibited in acting for themselves. This implies a state of impartiality to be maintained by the professional appointed. Secondly, it is advisable to use an RICS Regulated Chartered Surveyor who must abide by the byelaws and code of conducts stipulated by the RICS to provide an honest and transparent party walls surveyor service to their clients.

A point of distinction in the process where an ‘Agreed Surveyor’ is appointed as compared to having two independent surveyors is that when there are two party wall surveyor appointed, they will both agree to the appointment of a ‘Third Surveyor’. This appointment is a redress mechanism when the two surveyors are unable to resolve a dispute that has occurred. However, when an Agreed Surveyor is appointed, there is no ‘Third Surveyor’ appointed. The only available redress mechanism in this instance will be to appeal the Party Wall Award if the Building Owner or adjoining owner’s surveyor are unhappy with it’s contents. However, rest assured this is a very rare scenario and we at Party Wall Guru have never had an instance whereby any building owner was unhappy with our Party Wall Awards and we are dedicated to continuing this success in the party wall process.

If you have any questions, our team are very happy to speak with you and assist.

020 8058 9883