Notice templates · WA builders and owners

BA20 notice cover letter (WA): free template

A BA20 asks your neighbour to consent to work that affects their land. A friendly letter with it gets a quicker yes.

Two houses either side of a damaged timber boundary fence, with a builder handing the neighbour a letter

Quick answer: In WA, under Part 6 of the Building Act 2011, you need each affected owner’s consent, or a Magistrates Court order, before work that encroaches on or adversely affects their land (form BA20), or that needs protection structures, affects a party wall, dividing fence or boundary retaining wall, removes a fence or needs access to their land (form BA20A). The owner has 28 days to consider the notice, or 14 days after any further information you give them.

When to send it

Send it early, before the building permit application if you can. The permit can be held up until consent or a court order is in place.

Some fence removals need only 7 business days’ notice. Check which form applies with your builder or the Building and Energy forms page.

The rules behind it

The forms are BA20 and BA20A from Building and Energy. This letter is a cover note, not a replacement for the form. More on the WA notification rules page.

Where to get the BA20 form

Download BA20 and BA20A from the Building and Energy BA20 page. Each comes as a Word file and a PDF.

  • BA20 is for work that will encroach on, or adversely affect, the neighbour’s land, such as footings over the boundary or excavation near it. It goes in with your building permit application.
  • BA20A covers protection structures, party walls, taking down a fence and getting onto their land to work. It is an agreement between you and the neighbour and is not lodged with the permit.

The Building Commissioner revised the BA20 in July 2026, so download a fresh copy rather than reusing one from an old job.

The template

Change everything in [square brackets], delete anything that does not apply and check it against your own conditions before you print.

[Your business name or your name]
[Licence number if a builder] · [Phone] · [Email]

[Date]

Dear [neighbour’s name],

Our building work at [site address] and your property

We are planning [short description, eg a new home with a garage on the boundary] at [site address], next to you.

Part of the work affects your land, so we need your consent before it goes ahead. [Eg we need to remove and replace the dividing fence, and our footings will sit about 300 mm from the boundary.] The enclosed [BA20 / BA20A] form sets this out formally, with plans.

What we are asking
Please read the form and the plans. If you are happy, sign the consent section and return it to us. If you would like changes or more detail, tell us and we will work through it with you.

Timing
You have 28 days to consider the request, or 14 days after any further information we give you, whichever is later.

What we will do

  • [Replace the fence at our cost with [type], and keep a temporary fence up while it is down.]
  • [Photograph your side before work starts and fix any damage we cause.]
  • Keep you updated on dates.

I would be glad to meet and talk it through. Please call me on [mobile].

Kind regards,
[Name]
[Business name, or owner of [site address]]

Tips that save complaints later

  • Visit in person first, then leave the letter and form. A cold form in the letterbox is how disputes start.
  • If the neighbour has a pet or pool, say how the boundary stays secure while the fence is down.
  • Keep proof of the date you gave the notice. The 28 days run from then.

More templates

All notice templates

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