Free Party Wall Acknowledgement Template
Use our free Party Wall Acknowledgement generator to reply clearly to a Party Wall Notice — consent, dissent, request changes or agree one impartial surveyor.
Received a Party Wall Notice from your neighbour? Our free Party Wall acknowledgement template helps you prepare a clear written response, whether you are happy to consent, wish to dissent and appoint a surveyor, or want to agree to the appointment of one impartial Agreed Surveyor.
This page is designed for adjoining owners who need to reply to a notice, and for building owners who want to give their neighbour a simple response form alongside a properly served notice. For London projects, Hourican Associates can also review the notice, advise on your response and help keep the Party Wall process clear, compliant and neighbourly.
Generate your free Party Wall acknowledgement
Complete the form below to generate a written acknowledgement you can return to the building owner or their surveyor. You can use it to confirm consent, record dissent, propose an Agreed Surveyor, appoint your own surveyor, or request clarification before deciding.
Create your free Party Wall Notice response
Fill in the form with your details, the building owner’s details, the notice date and your chosen response. Your acknowledgement can then be prepared for you to send back in writing.
Unsure whether to consent or dissent? Contact Hourican Associates and ask a London Party Wall surveyor to review the notice before you reply.
What is a Party Wall acknowledgement?
A Party Wall acknowledgement is the adjoining owner’s written reply to a Party Wall Notice. It records whether you consent to the proposed works, dissent and want a Party Wall Award, agree to one impartial surveyor, or wish to appoint your own surveyor.
A clear written response matters because it avoids uncertainty. It also helps both neighbours understand whether the works can proceed after the relevant notice period, or whether the formal dispute resolution process under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 needs to begin.
Your main response options after receiving a Party Wall Notice
When you receive a Party Wall Notice, you should read the notice, check the drawings and respond within the statutory timeframe. In most cases, your options are:
| Response option | What it means | When it may be suitable |
|---|---|---|
| Consent | You confirm in writing that you are content for the notified works to proceed. | The notice is clear, the works appear straightforward, and you do not currently require a Party Wall Award. |
| Dissent and agree one surveyor | A dispute is recorded, but both owners agree to appoint one impartial Agreed Surveyor to prepare the Award. | You want formal protection but prefer a streamlined, neighbour-friendly route. |
| Dissent and appoint your own surveyor | Each owner appoints their own Party Wall surveyor. The two surveyors then agree the Party Wall Award. | The works are complex, intrusive, high-risk or you would prefer independent representation. |
| Request clarification | You ask for missing drawings, details or explanations before confirming your position. | The notice is unclear, ownership is wrong, drawings are missing, or the scope of work is not properly explained. |
Which acknowledgement template should I use?
The correct acknowledgement depends on the notice you have received. Some projects include more than one Party Wall Notice, so you may need to respond to each notice type separately.
- Party Structure Notice acknowledgement: used where works affect an existing party wall, party floor, party structure or party fence wall. This is common for loft conversions, steel beams, chimney breast removal and works to shared walls.
- Line of Junction Notice acknowledgement: used where a new wall is proposed at or astride the boundary line.
- Adjacent Excavation Notice acknowledgement: used where excavation is proposed within 3 metres or 6 metres of neighbouring structures, depending on depth.
- Combined response: used where the building owner has served more than one notice, for example for a rear extension involving boundary works and new foundations.
For more detail on the notice itself, see our Party Wall Notices London service page and our guide to Party Wall Notices.
What should a Party Wall acknowledgement include?
A good Party Wall acknowledgement should identify the notice clearly and leave no doubt about your response. It should usually include:
- Your full name and address as the adjoining owner.
- The building owner’s name and the address where the works are proposed.
- The date of the Party Wall Notice you received.
- The type of notice you are responding to, where known.
- Your response: consent, dissent, agreed surveyor, own surveyor or request for clarification.
- The name and contact details of your chosen surveyor, if appointing one.
- Your signature and date, with all joint owners signing where required.
Should I consent to a Party Wall Notice?
You may choose to consent where the notice is correct, the works are straightforward, and you are comfortable that your neighbour can proceed without a Party Wall Award. Consent should still be given in writing, and you should keep a copy.
Giving consent does not mean the building owner can cause unnecessary inconvenience or avoid responsibility for damage caused by the works. However, it does usually mean that the formal Party Wall surveyor procedure does not continue at that stage.
When should I dissent to a Party Wall Notice?
Dissenting does not mean you are being difficult or refusing all works. Under the Party Wall Act, dissent usually means that the formal surveyor procedure starts and a Party Wall Award may be prepared to regulate how and when the works are carried out.
You may wish to dissent where the works are structural, involve excavation, affect a shared wall, include basement works, appear unclear, or where you want a formal Schedule of Condition before building work begins.
What is an Agreed Surveyor?
An Agreed Surveyor is one impartial surveyor appointed by both owners. The role is not to act for one side against the other, but to administer the Act fairly and prepare the Party Wall Award where required.
This can be a practical route for many residential projects where both neighbours want a clear, cost-conscious and neighbourly process. It is still important that the surveyor is suitably experienced, impartial and properly qualified.
What happens if I do nothing?
Doing nothing can create avoidable delay and uncertainty. For notices relating to existing party structures and relevant excavation works, a failure to respond within 14 days is generally treated as a dispute having arisen. The building owner may then ask you to appoint a surveyor, and if you still do not do so, a surveyor may be appointed on your behalf so that the procedure can continue.
If you are unsure how to respond, it is usually better to ask for advice quickly rather than missing the response deadline.
What if I want changes to the proposed works?
If you are concerned about the proposed works, drawings, timing, access, protection, vibration, scaffolding, excavation depth or potential damage, you can raise those concerns in writing. In some cases, an adjoining owner may also serve a counter-notice requesting additional or modified works for their benefit.
For more complex concerns, speak to us about our Adjoining Owner’s Surveyor service or our Party Wall dispute resolution service.
Need professional help replying?
Our free acknowledgement template is designed to help with simple written responses. If you want a surveyor to review the notice, advise on consent or dissent, or act for you under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, Hourican Associates can provide a clear fixed-fee quote.
For building owners, our Party Wall Notice service starts from £150 + VAT per adjoining owner. Schedule of Condition surveys are typically £385–£585 + VAT, depending on the works and property size. Basement surveys are priced separately.
Why use Hourican Associates?
Hourican Associates are a Chartered Building Consultancy specialising in Party Wall surveying across London. We help adjoining owners understand notices, respond properly and secure appropriate safeguards where works may affect their property.
- Specialist Party Wall surveyors for adjoining owners and building owners.
- RICS-regulated Chartered Building Consultancy.
- Qualified members of the FPWS and Pyramus & Thisbe Club.
- Clear advice on consent, dissent, Agreed Surveyor appointments and Party Wall Awards.
- London coverage across North, South, East, West and Central London.
Received a Party Wall Notice and unsure how to respond?
Send us the notice, drawings and any correspondence you have received. We can help you understand your options, decide whether a Schedule of Condition is sensible, and respond within the required timeframe.
Ask a Party Wall Surveyor Adjoining Owner ServicesParty Wall Acknowledgement Template FAQs
Yes. A free Party Wall acknowledgement template can help you put your response in writing, but you should still make sure you understand the notice, the proposed works and the consequences of consenting or dissenting before you reply.
You should normally reply in writing within 14 days of receiving a Party Wall Notice. For certain types of work, no written response within 14 days can mean a dispute is deemed to have arisen under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
Consenting means you are content for the notified works to proceed as proposed. It does not remove the building owner’s obligations under the Act, but it usually means the formal surveyor procedure does not continue at that stage.
Dissenting means you do not consent to the notice as served and the formal dispute resolution procedure begins. The owners may appoint one Agreed Surveyor or each appoint their own surveyor to prepare a Party Wall Award.
Learn more about Party Wall Awards.
An Agreed Surveyor can be suitable where both owners are comfortable appointing one impartial surveyor. Separate surveyors may be preferred where works are complex, intrusive or where the adjoining owner wants independent representation.
Read more about the Agreed Surveyor role.
Yes. If the notice, drawings or proposed works are unclear, you can ask for clarification. In some cases, an adjoining owner may also serve a counter-notice requesting additional or modified works for their benefit.
A Schedule of Condition is often sensible before structural works, excavation, basement works or works close to shared walls. It records the condition of the adjoining owner’s property before work begins and can help avoid later disagreement about damage.
View our Schedule of Condition surveys.
Yes. Hourican Associates can review the notice and drawings, explain your options, advise whether to consent or dissent, and act as an Agreed Surveyor or Adjoining Owner’s Surveyor where required.