I've received a party wall notice. What happens now?

First, see which notice it is

The notice should say which section of the Act it relies on:

• Section 1: a new wall on, or right up to, the boundary.
• Section 3: work to a wall or floor you share, for instance loft beams or the removal of a chimney breast.
• Section 6: digging foundations near your house.

Work to the shared wall and deep digging close by are the two that most often lead to cracks if they are handled carelessly. If more than one notice arrived, that is normal: see why there can be several. It is also worth a quick validity check.

Then, check the date

There are 14 days to reply, and the day of service counts as day one. The deadline calculator gives you the exact date. If replying in time will be difficult, read asking for more time.

Your choices

Agree to the work, or dissent and either share one surveyor with your neighbour or appoint your own. Each choice is set out in your ways to reply, and our free reply form turns your choice into a letter.

What you should not do is ignore it. For shared-wall and excavation work, silence for 14 days counts as a dispute, and a surveyor can end up being appointed on your behalf. See ignoring a notice.

Will it cost you anything?

Usually not. The owner doing the work normally pays the reasonable fees of a surveyor acting for you. See who pays.

All guides for neighbours

• Your three ways to reply to a party wall noticeThe three ways an adjoining owner can respond to a party wall notice, what each one means for your home, and how to choose.
• Do I have to pay for a party wall surveyor if my neighbour is building?Why the neighbour doing the work normally pays your party wall surveyor's reasonable fees, and the few situations where you might share the cost.
• Party wall notice reply formFree and private: builds your reply letter, ready to sign.
• Ignoring a party wall notice: what happens nextIgnoring a party wall notice does not stop the work. Here is what happens after 14 days of silence, and why replying protects you.
• Can I stop my neighbour's building work?What the Party Wall Act lets you do, and not do, about a neighbour's building plans, and where else objections belong.
• Consenting to a party wall notice: how to say yes safelyWhen it makes sense to consent to a party wall notice, and the simple steps that protect your home if you say yes instead of appointing a surveyor.
• Questions to ask your neighbour before you replyA short list of sensible questions to ask a neighbour who has served a party wall notice, so you can decide how to respond.
• Is the notice I've received valid? A checklistSeven things to check before you reply.
• Counter notices: asking for extra workHave flues, piers or deeper foundations built in while the wall is open.
• Can I have more time to reply to a party wall notice?What the 14-day deadline really means, and how to keep control.
• I rent my home and received a party wall noticePass it on fast, and know your rights as the person living there.
• A developer has served a party wall notice on meBigger jobs, tighter timetables, and owners who may not stay.
• Why have I received more than one party wall notice?One project, several kinds of work, a notice for each.