Guide
The Party Wall Act: a guide for terraced and semi-detached houses
Short answer
Work on a shared wall, on the boundary or near a neighbour’s foundations needs written notice. This is under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Give 2 months’ notice for work on a party wall, and 1 month for digging. If the neighbour does not agree in writing within 14 days, surveyors settle it.
When the Act applies
The Act applies to three kinds of work: building on the boundary, work on an existing party wall, and digging near a neighbour’s foundations.
GOV.UK gives examples: cutting into a party wall, changing its height, removing a chimney breast or rebuilding the wall.
Small work does not need notice. GOV.UK names plastering, wiring, adding sockets and drilling for shelves.
Many Cotswold town centres have rows of terraced stone houses. A loft conversion or a rear extension on one of them often needs a notice.
The notice periods
The notice must be in writing. The periods come from the Act.
- Work on a party wall: at least 2 months before work starts (section 3).
- Digging foundations: at least 1 month before (section 6).
- A party structure notice ends if the work has not started within 12 months.
- GOV.UK says you can talk to your neighbour before you send the written notice.
Digging near a neighbour: the 3 and 6 metre rules
Section 6 covers digging within 3 metres of a neighbour’s building, where you dig below the bottom of their foundations.
It also covers digging within 6 metres, where the dig cuts a line drawn down at 45 degrees from their foundations.
Foundations for a rear extension in a terrace often fall inside these distances. Ask the builder or engineer to check.
What your neighbour can do
Your neighbour can agree in writing within 14 days, refuse, or serve a counter notice asking for extra work.
If they do not reply within 14 days, that counts as a dispute, not as agreement.
In a dispute, you appoint a surveyor. You can share one surveyor, or each appoint your own. You cannot act as your own surveyor.
The surveyors make a party wall award. It sets out the work, the timing and who pays. Either side can appeal to the county court within 14 days.
Costs and care during the work
You pay for the building work you start. Your neighbour may share costs if the work fixes a defect, or if they asked for extra work. If you cannot agree, the surveyor decides.
You must avoid needless disruption, protect the neighbour’s property and pay for any damage.
The Act is separate from planning permission and building regulations. You may need all three.
Questions
Who sends the party wall notice, me or the builder?
The building owner, which is you. A builder or surveyor can prepare it for you. Agree who does it, and who pays, before the job starts.
Does a loft conversion need a party wall notice?
Often, yes, in a terraced or semi-detached house. Cutting into a party wall for new beams is work the Act covers. The Planning Portal reminds loft owners to check.
Do I need a notice for a garden wall?
Sometimes. GOV.UK says a party wall can be a garden wall on the boundary. A wooden fence is not a party wall.