What is a party wall agreement and when do I need one?

For homeowners planning building work near a wall or boundary shared with a neighbour.

Applies to: England, Wales Last checked against official sources: 6 October 2026

If your building work affects a wall or floor you share with a neighbour, you must tell them in writing and get their agreement.

It covers work on a shared (party) wall, building at the boundary, or digging near their foundations.
Give notice between 2 months and a year before work starts.
Your neighbour should reply in writing within 14 days; no reply counts as a dispute, not a yes.
If you cannot agree, surveyors make a legal decision called a party wall award.
This applies in England and Wales; Scotland has different rules.

Different in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

Rules may be different in:

Scotland: Check mygov.scot for Scotland
Northern Ireland: Check nidirect for Northern Ireland

Key facts

Notice: 2 months to 1 year ahead
Neighbour replies within 14 days
No reply means a dispute
Appeal an award within 14 days

What a party wall is

A party wall stands on land owned by 2 or more people. It can be part of a building, such as the wall between two semi-detached houses, or a garden wall. Wooden fences do not count. A wall on one person's land that is used by 2 owners to separate their buildings also counts.

Floors between flats owned by different people are "party structures" and are treated the same way.

A party wall agreement is separate from planning permission and building regulations approval. You may need all three.

Work you must tell your neighbour about

You must give notice if you plan to:

build on or at the boundary between your 2 properties
work on an existing party wall or party structure
dig below and near the foundations of their property

Examples include cutting into a party wall, making it taller, shorter or deeper, removing chimneys from it, or knocking it down and rebuilding it.

You do not need to give notice for small jobs like plastering, adding or replacing wiring or sockets, or drilling to put up shelves or cabinets.

How to get agreement

Talk to your neighbour. This is not required, but it often makes things easier.
Give written notice. Do this between 2 months and a year before the work starts. Say what you plan to do. GOV.UK's party wall explanatory booklet has template letters.
Wait for a reply. Your neighbour should reply in writing within 14 days. They can agree, refuse, or serve a "counter notice" asking for extra work.
Put it in writing. Write down anything you agree.

No reply is not a yes. If your neighbour does not respond, you are treated as being in a dispute.

A counter notice must be served within 1 month of your notice. Your neighbour pays for extra work that only benefits them.

If you cannot agree

You must use a surveyor. You can:

appoint one surveyor together, or
each appoint your own surveyor

You cannot act as your own surveyor. If your neighbour refuses or fails to appoint one, you can appoint a surveyor for them.

The surveyors produce a party wall award. This legal document sets out:

the work that will be done
how and when it will be done
who pays for which part, including surveyor fees

You can appeal against an award at a county court within 14 days of getting it.

Who pays

You usually pay for the work you start. Your neighbour may share the cost if the work fixes defects or disrepair, or if they asked for extra work that helps them. If you disagree, the surveyor decides.

If you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland

The party wall rules here apply in England and Wales. Scotland has different rules. This guide does not cover Northern Ireland.

Related guides

Where this comes from

Get it done

This takes you to the official service, which is free to use.

Read the GOV.UK party wall guide

Common questions

Can my neighbour stop my building work?

No. They cannot stop changes that are within the law, but they can affect how and when the work is done.

Can I be my own party wall surveyor?

No. You can share one surveyor with your neighbour or each appoint your own.

Do I need a party wall agreement to put up shelves?

No. Minor work like plastering, wiring or drilling to put up shelves does not need notice.

Official sources

1.Party walls and building work (GOV.UK)www.gov.uk/party-walls-building-works
2.Work you must tell your neighbour about (GOV.UK)www.gov.uk/party-walls-building-works/work-tell-your-neighbour-about
3.When and how to tell them (GOV.UK)www.gov.uk/party-walls-building-works/when-how-tell-them
4.Reaching an agreement with your neighbours (GOV.UK)www.gov.uk/party-walls-building-works/reaching-agreement-with-neighbours
5.If you cannot agree (GOV.UK)www.gov.uk/party-walls-building-works/if-you-cant-agree

Checked against GOV.UK on 6 October 2026

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