Term
Party wall: what the term means
A wall standing on the land of two or more owners, such as the wall between terraced houses, subject to the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 in England and Wales.
A wall standing on the land of two or more owners, such as the wall between terraced houses, subject to the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 in England and Wales.
Party wall in practice
A party wall can be part of a building or a free-standing wall, such as a garden wall, but not a wooden fence. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 requires notice to neighbours, between two months and a year in advance, for work on or near a party wall, building at the boundary, or excavating near their foundations.
If neighbours do not agree, surveyors prepare a party wall award setting out what work happens, how and who pays. The Act is separate from planning and Building Regulations, and does not apply in Scotland.
Source: gov.uk