The deadline
Fourteen days from the day the award is served. It is strict. Read your award as soon as it arrives.
Possible grounds
- The surveyors went beyond what the Act allows them to decide
- The notices or appointments were invalid
- The award contains a clear error, for example about costs or the work permitted
- The award is unreasonable in a material way
Try first
Before appealing, speak to the surveyor. Many concerns, such as an omission in the schedule of condition, can be corrected or clarified without court. Where two surveyors disagree, the third surveyor can be asked to decide.
Costs risk
Court appeals involve legal costs. An unsuccessful appeal can leave you paying the other side's costs as well as your own. Take legal advice before starting.
Does an appeal stop the work?
An appeal does not automatically stop the work. The court can make orders, but you would need to apply for them.
Where this comes from in the Act
Links go to the official text of the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 on legislation.gov.uk.