Articles
Articles & guides
Plain-English guidance on the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Practical, jargon-free information to help you serve a correct notice and understand the response and dispute process.
12 June 2026
Do You Need a Party Wall Notice for a Loft Conversion?
Most loft conversions require a party wall notice — but the type, timing, and detail depend on your works. Here's what you need, and when to serve it.
Read the article →12 June 2026
Party Wall Notice for an Extension: What You Need, When You Need It
Most rear extensions trigger the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 — through the shared wall, the foundations, or both. Here's which notice you need, and when to serve it.
Read the article →12 June 2026
My Neighbour Ignored My Party Wall Notice — What Happens Now?
No reply after 14 days on a Section 3 or Section 6 notice can start the deemed-dispute route. Section 1 proposals for a wall astride the boundary have a different consent rule.
Read the article →12 June 2026
Section 6 Party Wall Notice: Do Your Extension Foundations Need One?
Section 6 is the most commonly missed notice — it covers digging near a neighbour's foundations, even on your own land. Here's how to tell if your extension triggers it.
Read the article →12 June 2026
Party Wall Notice Responses: Consent, Dissent and No Reply
What written consent, an express dissent and no reply mean under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, including the different rules for Sections 1, 3 and 6.
Read the article →14 July 2026
How Much Does a Party Wall Surveyor Cost in 2026?
Surveyor fees vary with the appointment, location and complexity. Here's what party wall surveyors may cost in 2026, when they become involved and who normally pays.
Read the article →14 July 2026
Party Wall Notice Response: Consent vs Dissent Explained
For Section 3 and Section 6 notices, written consent, dissent and no written response lead to different processes. Here's what each means, and why Section 1 astride-wall proposals differ.
Read the article →14 July 2026
Can I Serve a Party Wall Notice Myself? Yes — Here's How
The Party Wall Act doesn't require a professional to serve your notice — you can do it yourself. But a defective notice is worthless. Here's exactly what a valid notice needs, and where DIY attempts go wrong.
Read the article →14 July 2026
Do I Need a Party Wall Agreement for a Small Extension?
A notice and an 'agreement' are not the same thing. Most small extensions need the first and never reach the second. Here's what the Act actually asks of a modest single-storey build.
Read the article →22 July 2026
Do I Need a Party Wall Agreement for a Garage Conversion?
Whether a garage conversion needs a party wall notice depends on how your garage is built and what work you're planning — not the fact that it's a garage. Here's how to tell.
Read the article →29 July 2026
Party Wall Notice by Email: Is It Valid?
Email seems the obvious modern way to serve a party wall notice — but the Act was written before email existed. Here's when email service is valid, and why post is still the safest route.
Read the article →5 August 2026
What Is a Party Wall Award? A Complete Plain-English Guide
One of the most misunderstood documents in the party wall process: what a Party Wall Award actually is, what it contains, who produces it, and how long it takes to get one.
Read the article →12 August 2026
Party Wall Notice for a Basement or Cellar Conversion: What You Need
Basements often need Section 3 and Section 6 notices together, and depth relative to your neighbour's foundations — not distance alone — decides what's required.
Read the article →24 August 2026
Do I Need a Party Wall Notice to Build a Garden or Boundary Wall?
New garden and boundary walls fall under Section 1 — a different notice type with its own response rules, distinct from the Section 3 and 6 notices covered elsewhere on the site.
Read the article →4 September 2026
What Is a Schedule of Condition, and Do You Need One?
Not required by the Act, but the single document most likely to keep a damage dispute from turning into 'he said, she said'. Here's when to arrange one, and who pays.
Read the article →16 September 2026
What Is an Agreed Surveyor, and How Do You Choose One?
Dissent doesn't automatically mean two surveyors. Here's how the Agreed Surveyor route works, and why your own nominated surveyor can lawfully act for both sides.
Read the article →25 September 2026
How Long Before I Can Start Work? Party Wall Notice Periods Explained
One month, or two? If your project needs more than one notice, here's why the longest period doesn't automatically govern the whole job.
Read the article →7 October 2026
I Started Work Without Serving a Party Wall Notice — What Now?
Realised too late? Here's the real legal exposure, and the practical steps that limit the damage — starting with serving an honest, accurate notice today.
Read the article →
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