Party wall agreements, explained without the jargon

What goes into a party wall agreement, how the surveyors are chosen, and what happens if something goes wrong. Free guides for building owners and neighbours, written by a practising party wall surveyor.

I'm the one building

Understand what your agreement will say, which surveyor arrangement suits you, and what it will cost.

Guides for building owners

Next door is building

Choose a surveyor, read your agreement with confidence, and know what to do if your home suffers damage.

Guides for neighbours

Agreement or award? The same thing

The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 calls it an award. Home owners, builders and estate agents mostly call it a party wall agreement. Either way, it is the binding document made by one or more surveyors that sets out how building work affecting a neighbour will be carried out.

An award is needed when a neighbour does not consent in writing to a notice. It records the condition of the neighbour's home, says what work may be done and how, and decides who pays. More on agreements and awards.

Eight numbered steps from a party wall dispute arising to the final inspection after the work — The usual route from a dispute to a finished job under a party wall award.

The essentials

Made by surveyorsOne agreed surveyor, or one for each owner plus a third in reserve
Usually paid by the builderThe building owner normally meets the reasonable fees on both sides
14 days to appealFrom the day the award is served, to the county court
Damage put rightBy repair, or by a payment if the neighbour prefers

Surveyors, awards and disputes

Party wall disputes: how they are settledWhat "dispute" means under the Act, and the route to settling one.
How long does a party wall agreement last?No expiry date, but tied to its notice and to specific work.
Can I act as my own party wall surveyor?No, and who can be appointed instead.
Does a party wall surveyor need qualifications?None are required by law, so here is what to look for.
What does a party wall surveyor actually do?Their work, step by step, from paperwork to final inspection.

For building owners

What's in a party wall agreement?The sections you will find in a typical party wall agreement, from the schedule of condition and drawings to working hours, access and costs.
Agreed surveyor or two surveyors: which is better?The pros and cons of one agreed party wall surveyor versus each owner appointing their own, including cost, speed and impartiality.
Party wall surveyor fees: what is reasonable?How party wall surveyors charge, what affects the fee, what counts as reasonable for the neighbour's surveyor and how fee disputes are settled.
The schedule of condition and why it protects you tooWhat a party wall schedule of condition records, how it is carried out and why it protects building owners as well as neighbours.
When can work start once the agreement is signed?When work can start after a party wall award is served, how the notice period and the 14-day appeal window fit together, and what to tell your builder.
Security for expenses: when a neighbour asks for money up frontWhat security for expenses means under the Party Wall Act, when a neighbour can ask for it, how much it might be and how it is held.
Changing your plans after the agreementWhat to do if your design changes after a party wall award has been served, from small amendments to new notices and addendum awards.
Special foundations and the neighbour's consentReinforced footings under next door's land need written consent.
Insurance for party wall work: what to checkThe cover your builder should hold, and the gaps to watch for.
When a surveyor doesn't respond: the 10-day ruleTen-day requests, ex parte awards and replacements.
The final inspection after the worksComparing the neighbour's home with the record taken before work.

For neighbours

Choosing your own party wall surveyorWhat to look for when choosing a party wall surveyor to act for you as a neighbour: experience, memberships, fees and how they communicate.
Reading your party wall agreement: what each part meansA neighbour's guide to reading a party wall award: the parts to check, what they mean for your home and what to do if something looks wrong.
My home has been damaged: making a claimWhat to do if your neighbour's building work damages your home: reporting it, the role of the schedule of condition and how repairs or payment are settled.
Cash payment or repair: how damage is settledHow party wall damage is settled, when you can ask for a payment instead of repairs by the neighbour's builder, and how the amount is worked out.
I disagree with the agreement: appealing within 14 daysHow either owner can appeal a party wall award to the county court, the 14-day deadline, the grounds and the costs risk.
The third surveyor: what they do and whenThe role of the third surveyor under the Party Wall Act: how they are chosen, when they are called in and what they can decide.
My neighbour won't pay the surveyor feesWhat happens when a building owner refuses to pay the adjoining owner's party wall surveyor, and how unpaid sums under an award are recovered.
Should I accept my neighbour's surveyor as agreed surveyor?When sharing works, when it doesn't, and what to ask first.
Can I change my party wall surveyor?Appointments are fixed. What you can do instead.
Cracks after your neighbour's building workWhich cracks matter, and how to report them.
Will my home insurance cover party wall damage?Why the building owner pays first, and when your insurer steps in.

About the author

Ivan Larkin ACABE MFPWS MPTS prepares party wall awards for building owners, for neighbours, and as agreed surveyor for both. He worked in construction for more than 37 years, including time as a registered house builder (LABC and NHBC), before specialising in party wall work. More about Ivan.

Companion guides

About Party Walls: what the Act covers, project by project
About Party Wall Notices: serving and answering notices