A line of junction notice is served under Section 1 of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 when you intend to build a new wall at the boundary between your land and your neighbour’s. It applies where no wall currently exists on the line of junction, and it gives your neighbour a say in whether the new wall sits on the boundary itself or wholly on your own land.
When a Line of Junction Notice Applies
The line of junction is the boundary line between two owners’ land. Section 1 is engaged in two situations: where you wish to build a new party wall or party fence wall astride the boundary, and where you wish to build a wall wholly on your own land but placed up against, or close to, the boundary. It does not apply where a party wall already exists; works to an existing structure fall under Section 2 and require a party structure notice instead.
Notice Period
A line of junction notice must be served at least one month before the planned start of the work. This is shorter than the two months required for works to an existing party structure. The full range of works and their notice periods is summarised in our guide to the types of party wall works.
| Section | Type of work | Notice period |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | New wall on or near the line of junction | 1 month |
Options for the Adjoining Owner
How your neighbour responds shapes where the wall is built. Within fourteen days of receiving the notice, the adjoining owner may consent to a new wall being built astride the boundary as a shared party wall, or they may object.
- Consent to a wall on the boundary: the new wall is built half on each owner’s land as a party wall, and the cost is shared in proportion to the use each owner makes of it.
- Do not consent: you may still build, but the wall must sit wholly on your own land. You retain the right to place projecting footings under the neighbouring land where necessary, subject to compensation for any damage.
If your neighbour does not respond within fourteen days, they are treated as dissenting to a wall astride the line, and the wall must be built entirely on your own side.
Cost Apportionment
Where a shared party wall is agreed, costs are divided according to the use each owner will make of the wall and the relative cost of materials. Where the wall is built wholly on your own land, you meet the cost yourself. In either case, the building owner is generally responsible for any damage caused to the adjoining property. Our overview of costs and the process explains how surveyors’ fees are typically handled.
Protecting Both Parties
Even where a wall is built on your own land, a schedule of condition recording the state of the neighbouring property before works begin is strongly advisable. If a dispute arises over the notice or the works, the surveyors will produce a binding party wall award. Building owners can find further guidance on our building owners page.
FAQs
Can my neighbour stop me building the wall entirely?
No. Section 1 does not give the adjoining owner a veto over the work itself. It gives them a say only in whether the wall is built astride the boundary as a shared structure or wholly on your own land.
What if there is already a boundary fence?
A timber or panel fence is not a party fence wall in the legal sense. Building a new masonry wall on the line still requires a line of junction notice, as it introduces a new structure on the boundary.
Do I need consent to place footings under my neighbour’s land?
You have a statutory right to place necessary footings beneath adjoining land when building on your own side, but you must compensate for any damage and it is best recorded within the award.
If you are planning a new boundary wall anywhere in London, our RICS-accredited surveyors can prepare and serve the correct notice and guide both parties through the process. Contact us to get started.