What should I check before responding to a notice?

Check the basics

• Who served the notice and on whose behalf?
• Which property is carrying out the work?
• What statutory work is described?
• Are drawings included and legible?
• When is the work expected to start?

Check the scope

Compare the notice against the drawings. If significant work appears on the drawings but not in the notice, ask for clarification before responding.

Check the guidance

A good notice package should explain your options rather than simply present a signature box.

Check the notice period and response deadline

Work to an existing party structure normally requires two months’ notice; qualifying excavation and new walls at the line of junction normally require one month. The statutory response period is a separate issue: for party-structure and excavation notices, failure to consent within 14 days can result in a deemed dispute. Section 1 notices have different consequences, depending on whether the proposed wall is astride the boundary or wholly on the building owner’s land.

Ask questions now

If something is unclear, this is the point to ask. A surveyor’s response to sensible enquiries is useful evidence when deciding whether you would trust them as an agreed surveyor.