Party Wall Agreements in Wantage

A party wall agreement — properly called a Party Wall Award — is the written document that sets out how notifiable work proceeds between you and your neighbour. You need one if your neighbour dissents (or does not reply) to a notice for work such as cutting into a shared wall, removing a chimney breast, building on the boundary line, or excavating within 3 metres of their foundations to a lower depth. If they consent in writing within 14 days, no Award is needed.

No. A party wall agreement is a legal process under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 governing building work next to a neighbour. It is not a homebuyer survey, a structural inspection, a drain or CCTV survey, or a valuation. The only inspection involved is a Schedule of Condition — a photographic record of the neighbour's property before work starts, taken purely so any later damage can be judged fairly.

Our fees are fixed and published: £50 to draft and serve the first notice, £30 for each additional notice on the same project, and £850 for a full Party Wall Award where two surveyors are appointed (£650 where both owners agree to use one agreed surveyor). There is no Wantage or Oxfordshire surcharge. The building owner carrying out the works pays the reasonable fees of both surveyors.

Allow around 4 to 8 weeks from serving notice to a completed Award. Your neighbour has 14 days to respond to a notice. If they dissent, surveyors are appointed and a Schedule of Condition is arranged — we can usually attend a property in Wantage or Grove within 5 to 7 working days. Serve notice well before your intended start date: Section 2 works need two months' notice and Section 6 excavation works need one month.

No, and this matters on the newer, narrow plots around Grove and the Wantage edge sites where boundary lines are frequently disputed. A Party Wall Award only governs how the notifiable works are carried out and how any damage is dealt with. It does not determine legal ownership of the boundary. If the boundary position itself is in dispute, that is a separate boundary determination matter.

Respond within 14 days. You can consent, dissent and appoint your own surveyor, or agree to use a single agreed surveyor with your neighbour. Doing nothing counts as a deemed dissent after 14 days and surveyors will be appointed anyway. As the adjoining owner you pay nothing — the building owner pays the reasonable fees of both surveyors. Send us the notice and we will review it the same working day.

Wantage and Grove fall under Vale of White Horse District Council for planning and building control. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 is entirely separate from both — planning permission and building regulations approval do not remove your obligation to serve party wall notices, and party wall consent does not replace planning permission.

If your project in Wantage involves cutting into a shared wall, building on the line of junction, or excavating within 3 metres of a neighbour's foundation (and to a lower depth), the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 requires notice. Loft conversions, rear and side extensions, basement digs and chimney breast removals almost always qualify. Use our free 60-second checker to confirm.

Party Wall Hub publishes fixed fees nationally — there is no Wantage surcharge. £50 to draft and serve the first notice, £30 for each additional notice on the same project, and £850 fixed for a full Party Wall Award. The building owner pays both surveyors' reasonable fees; the adjoining owner pays nothing.

Wantage sits inside our 70-mile core service radius from Swindon, so we can usually attend for a Schedule of Condition or inspection within 5–7 working days. Urgent instructions are accommodated where possible — call 01793 939174 to discuss.

Yes. A large share of our Wantage work involves period stock, conservation areas and occasionally listed buildings. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies regardless of listing status, but we take extra care with the Schedule of Condition where original fabric is involved.

You have 14 days to respond. You can consent, dissent and appoint your own surveyor, or agree to use the building owner's surveyor as an "agreed surveyor". If you dissent and appoint us, the building owner pays our reasonable fees — it costs you nothing. Submit the notice through our portal and we'll review it the same working day.