It is a common expectation that an owner will be able to “sign off” a Party Wall Award before it is issued. In practice, many owners do have an opportunity to comment on key points in advance, particularly where two surveyors are involved. However, it is important to understand that a Party Wall Award is not a contract between neighbours, and there is no automatic right to approve the final wording before service.
What you can review—and how much input you are likely to have—will depend on the appointment route and the approach taken by the surveyor(s).
1) How a Party Wall Award is produced
A Party Wall Award is made under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 once an adjoining owner dissents (or is deemed to dissent through non-response). At that point, the matter is determined by:
- one Agreed Surveyor, appointed jointly by both owners; or
- two surveyors, one appointed by each owner.
The Award is typically made and signed by the surveyor(s), not by the owners. Surveyors are required to act independently and impartially, and their function is to determine appropriate conditions for the works, rather than to negotiate a private agreement between neighbours.
2) When you are most likely to see a draft: two surveyors appointed
Where two surveyors are appointed, the Award is commonly developed through an exchange of drafts between the surveyors. As part of that process:
- surveyors will often consult their appointing owners on practical matters (such as access, working hours, and protection measures); and
- owners may be shown draft wording, particularly where a point affects their use and enjoyment of the property.
That said, even in two-surveyor cases, the formal agreement is between the surveyors, not the owners, and the extent of draft circulation can vary.
3) When a draft may not be circulated: an Agreed Surveyor
With an Agreed Surveyor, the process is usually more streamlined. Many Agreed Surveyors will:
- discuss the proposed safeguards and procedures with both owners; and
- proceed to serve the Award once they consider it complete.
Some may circulate a draft as a matter of good practice, but this is not universal. The key point is that an Agreed Surveyor’s duty is to produce a fair and workable Award, not to run a joint approval process.
4) What you can reasonably expect to check before service
Even where a full draft is not provided, it is reasonable to expect that you will be able to review or confirm the fundamentals, including:
- Factual accuracy: names, addresses, and property references
- Scope: a clear description of the notifiable works and the documents referenced (drawings, structural details)
- Schedule of Condition: arrangements for inspection and recording pre-works condition
- Access and working arrangements: how access will be requested (if needed), working hours, and site conduct
- Protections and safeguards: measures to manage risk and disruption
- Damage procedures: how damage will be reported, assessed, and resolved (repair or compensation)
A professional surveyor should be willing to explain these points clearly, even if they do not issue a full draft document for comment.
5) If you disagree with the Award once it is served
If you consider that an Award is incorrect or unreasonable, there is a statutory right to appeal to the County Court within 14 days of service (strict time limits apply). For this reason, if you have concerns, it is sensible to raise them with the surveyor(s) as early as possible—preferably before the Award is finalised.
Need assistance reviewing a proposed Award?
If you would like support understanding what you should expect to see in an Award, or how to raise concerns constructively before service, email mail@howorth.uk or call 07794 400 212.