ABT Associates provides specialist advice and services under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Whether you're a Building Owner proposing works or an Adjoining Owner who has received a notice — we guide you through every step with clarity and professionalism.
ABT Associates is a specialist surveying practice providing expert advice and services under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. We support property owners, developers, and neighbours through the legal and technical aspects of party wall matters, ensuring projects proceed smoothly while protecting the interests of all parties.
With a strong focus on professionalism, clarity, and efficiency, we guide clients through every stage of the party wall process — from serving notices and preparing schedules of condition to resolving disputes and producing Party Wall Awards.
Our approach combines technical expertise with clear communication, helping to minimise delays, reduce risk, and avoid unnecessary conflict. We work across residential and commercial projects, including extensions, loft conversions, basement excavations, and new developments.
Whether acting for the building owner, adjoining owner, or as an agreed surveyor, we deliver impartial, compliant, and practical solutions tailored to each project.
We prepare and serve legally valid Party Wall Notices on your behalf, ensuring the correct notice type is used, all details are accurate, and the statutory timelines are met from the outset.
Building Owners →A detailed photographic and written record of the adjoining property's condition before works begin. This protects both parties and provides a clear benchmark if any damage is later alleged.
All Parties →Where consent is not forthcoming or a dispute arises, we prepare a formal Party Wall Award — the legal document that sets out the permitted works, timing, and safeguards for both sides.
Dispute Resolution →We act solely on behalf of the building owner, helping you navigate the Act, serve the correct notices, and progress your project efficiently while remaining fully compliant with the law.
For Building Owners →We represent the interests of neighbours affected by proposed works, reviewing notices, inspecting the building, and ensuring your property rights are fully protected throughout the process.
For Neighbours →Where both parties consent, a single Agreed Surveyor can act for both sides — often the fastest and most cost-effective route to resolving matters under the Act without unnecessary conflict.
Cost Effective →Different building works trigger different notices. Understanding which applies to your project is critical — many projects trigger more than one.
Applies when you are building a new wall at or astride the boundary line. This notice concerns the position of the new wall itself, including cases where the adjoining owner may have options around contribution or underpinning.
The most common notice in London renovations. Required when works affect an existing shared wall or party structure — particularly relevant for loft conversions and structural alterations in Victorian and Edwardian terraces.
Required when excavating within 3 to 6 metres of a neighbour's structure and digging deeper than their foundations. This is where London kitchen extensions frequently trigger party wall obligations even when no shared wall is touched.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 is an act of parliament that legally requires anyone proposing to carry out certain types of work to their property to formally notify the owners of neighbouring properties before commencement. It provides a clear framework enabling building owners to carry out notifiable works while giving adjoining owners a defined process for understanding what is proposed and protecting their property.
Where works fall within the scope of the Act, it is necessary for the Building Owner to serve the correct notice(s) and obtain written consent from the Adjoining Owner. If consent is not given — or is not forthcoming — the parties are deemed to be 'in dispute' under the Act. At this point, both the Building Owner and the Adjoining Owner must appoint a Party Wall Surveyor. The dispute is then resolved by way of a Party Wall Award — the legal framework that enables the works to proceed whilst protecting both parties.
Shared walls (party walls) and party structures — which may include floors as well as walls — require notice before any structural alteration is made.
Construction of new walls either up to or astride the boundary line (with the neighbour's consent) must be formally notified under the Act.
Digging within three metres of a neighbouring wall or shared structure — including new extension foundations — may trigger the Act regardless of which side of the boundary the work sits.
A clear, step-by-step guide to how the party wall process works — from initial notice to completion of works.
We assess your project and confirm which notices are required under the Act.
We prepare and serve the correct notice(s) on all affected adjoining owners.
Adjoining owners have 14 days to respond — consent, dissent, or no reply triggers the next step.
If required, surveyors are appointed and a Schedule of Condition is prepared before works start.
A Party Wall Award is issued enabling works to proceed lawfully and protecting all parties.
At ABT Associates, we pride ourselves on delivering a reliable and responsive service. Our goal is to simplify complex legislation, protect property, and ensure construction projects can move forward with confidence.
We focus exclusively on party wall matters, giving us deep expertise in the Act and how it applies to a wide range of projects across London and the South East.
We cut through the legal complexity and explain what is required in plain language — so you always know exactly where you stand and what happens next.
We offer transparent, fair pricing with no hidden costs. You will know what you're paying from the outset, with service that delivers genuine value.
We understand that building projects run to tight programmes. We work efficiently to avoid unnecessary delays to your project timeline.
Whether acting for building owners, adjoining owners, or as agreed surveyor, our approach is always impartial, measured, and focused on finding a fair outcome.
Whether you're a Building Owner proposing construction works or an Adjoining Owner who has received a Party Wall Notice — we can advise you and assist you through the entire process.
If your proposed works fall within the scope of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 — and your neighbour does not consent in writing — then yes, a party wall surveyor must be appointed by law. Even where consent is given, a surveyor can protect your interests with a Schedule of Condition.
Non-compliance can result in an injunction from the High Court, project delays of six months or more, and legal costs exceeding £10,000. It can also damage your relationship with your neighbours and complicate any later sale of your property.
The minimum notice periods are one month (Sections 1 and 6) and two months (Section 2). In practice, with a dissent or no response, disputes requiring a Party Wall Award can add 8 to 12 weeks to your programme, which is why early notice is essential.
A Schedule of Condition is a detailed photographic and written survey of an adjoining property taken before works begin. It establishes a clear baseline — protecting both the building owner from unfounded damage claims and the adjoining owner if genuine damage does occur.
Yes. This is called an Agreed Surveyor arrangement. Both parties appoint a single surveyor who acts impartially for both sides. It is often the quickest and most cost-effective route — particularly where the relationship with your neighbour is good.
You have 14 days from receipt to respond. You can consent in writing, dissent and appoint your own surveyor, or agree to an agreed surveyor. If you do nothing within 14 days, a dispute is automatically deemed to have arisen. Contact us immediately for free initial advice.
Frequently yes — even if the extension is entirely within your own land. If the new foundations are within 3 metres of a neighbouring structure and go deeper than their foundations, an Adjacent Excavation Notice is required under Section 6 of the Act.
In most cases, the Building Owner (the person carrying out the works) pays the reasonable fees of both surveyors. The Act makes provision for this, and costs can vary depending on the complexity of the project and the extent of works.