In most cases, you can’t require your neighbour to pay their surveyor’s fees simply because they chose to appoint one.
The general rule (most common situation)
If you are the building owner (the person carrying out notifiable works), you should normally expect to pay the reasonable costs of the party wall process. That commonly includes:
- Your surveyor’s fees (if appointed), and
- The adjoining owner’s surveyor’s fees (if they appoint their own)
The logic is simple: the process is being triggered by the works you want to carry out, so the cost of putting protections in place is usually yours.
When your neighbour may have to pay something (or share costs)
There are limited situations where surveyors can decide that the adjoining owner should pay some or all costs. Examples include:
1) They request extras that go beyond what’s reasonably required
If your neighbour (or their surveyor) asks for additional measures that are not proportionate to the risk—such as excessive site visits, monitoring, or specialist reports purely for reassurance—surveyors can sometimes determine that those additional costs should be borne by the person requesting them.
2) The works benefit the neighbour as well
If certain works are jointly beneficial, costs can sometimes be apportioned. This is more fact-specific and less common in typical extension/loft situations, but it can arise depending on what’s being done and why.
3) Works are required due to disrepair (shared responsibility)
If the work is needed because a party wall or shared structure is in disrepair and both owners have some responsibility, surveyors may decide the costs should be shared (again, very dependent on the circumstances).
4) Unreasonable behaviour causes avoidable extra fees
If one party’s actions cause unnecessary costs—persistent non-cooperation, avoidable delays, or unreasonable demands—surveyors may consider allocating some of those extra costs accordingly. This isn’t automatic, but it can happen where the additional costs are clearly attributable.
What you can do to control costs
Even if you can’t force your neighbour to pay their surveyor, you can reduce the likelihood of inflated fees by:
- Serving a clear, correct notice with good drawings and details
- Keeping communication calm and transparent from the start
- Suggesting an Agreed Surveyor where appropriate (often reduces duplication)
- Asking for itemised fees and ensuring they are reasonable and proportionate
- Ensuring your contractor’s approach and programme is clear, which helps surveyors write a cleaner Award with fewer revisions
Want a realistic view on whether you’re likely to pay both surveyors—and how to keep costs sensible?
Email mail@howorth.uk with your plans and we’ll point you in the right direction.