Notices for new boundary walls

The Party Wall etc. Act calls the boundary between separately owned land the line of junction. Building a new wall up to that line is not the same as building across it. Section 1 deals with both situations.

Building entirely on your own land

You can generally build a new wall wholly on your side of the line, subject to other property and planning requirements. Where the Act applies, section 1 provides for notice to the adjoining owner at least one month before the work. The neighbour's silence does not ordinarily prevent this wall being built solely on your land after the notice period.

Building astride the boundary

You cannot build a new party wall across the line of junction without the adjoining owner's written consent. If that consent is not given within the statutory time, the wall must be built wholly on your own land. A notice is not a substitute for written agreement.

What should the notice describe?

Include the proposed wall's position, approximate height, length and construction materials and the intended start date. Make clear whether you are proposing an entirely new wall on your land or seeking agreement to a shared boundary wall.

Before you start

Make sure the boundary position is adequately established. If there is a dispute about ownership or the actual boundary line, the notice builder does not resolve that dispute. See extensions for projects with foundations and notice times.