The External Wall System Fire Review (EWS1) form was introduced in late 2019 as a way for mortgage lenders to assess the fire risk of external wall systems in residential buildings containing flats. For many London flat owners, the EWS1 process has had a direct impact on the ability to sell, remortgage or re-let their property.
Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, mortgage lenders became increasingly concerned about the fire safety of external wall systems — particularly those incorporating combustible cladding materials. The EWS1 form was developed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), UK Finance, the Building Societies Association and other industry bodies to provide a standardised way for a qualified professional to confirm whether the external wall system of a building poses a fire risk.
For flat owners in London, the practical impact has been significant. Buildings that cannot produce an EWS1 certificate with a satisfactory rating may find that mortgage lenders will not lend against individual flats, effectively preventing sales and remortgages. This has affected thousands of leaseholders across London boroughs including Tower Hamlets, Greenwich, Newham and Southwark, where post-2000 residential developments with various cladding systems are concentrated.
Not all buildings require an EWS1 certificate. The requirement is driven primarily by mortgage lender policy and is applied on a risk-based approach. Buildings most likely to require an EWS1 form include residential blocks over 18 metres (typically six storeys or more) with any form of cladding, buildings between 11 and 18 metres where the external wall system incorporates combustible materials, and any building where a lender has specific concerns about the external wall construction.
Buildings below 11 metres with no cladding concerns are generally exempt from the EWS1 requirement, following updated lender guidance issued in 2023. However, lender policies vary, and some may still request assessment in specific circumstances.
An EWS1 assessment must be carried out by a suitably qualified professional — typically a chartered building surveyor or fire engineer who holds the relevant competency qualifications. The assessor inspects the external wall system, reviews available construction records and design information, and determines the appropriate rating for the building.
The assessment involves a visual inspection of the external walls, review of any available design and construction documentation, identification of the materials used in the external wall build-up, assessment of balconies, spandrel panels and other components, and a determination of whether any combustible materials are present and whether they present a fire risk in context.
The external wall system does not contain combustible materials in quantities that present a fire risk. No remediation is required. Mortgage lending can proceed. This is the best possible outcome and means the external walls are effectively clear.
Combustible materials are present in the external wall system, but they do not present a risk that requires remediation. This rating acknowledges the presence of combustible materials while confirming that the overall system is considered safe. Mortgage lending can generally proceed.
Combustible materials are present and remediation works have been identified, but interim measures are in place that adequately manage the risk while a remediation programme is progressed. Lender positions vary on this rating, with some willing to lend subject to evidence of the remediation programme.
The building has cladding on the external walls, but the cladding system does not present a fire risk that requires remediation. This is a satisfactory outcome, and mortgage lending can generally proceed. The assessor has concluded that the specific cladding system, in context, does not require intervention.
The building has cladding that presents a fire risk requiring remediation. This is the most problematic rating for flat owners. Most mortgage lenders will not lend against a flat in a building with a B2 rating until remediation has been completed and a new assessment confirms a satisfactory rating. This rating has trapped many leaseholders, unable to sell or remortgage.
A B2 rating means that the assessor has identified combustible cladding materials that present a fire risk requiring remediation. In practical terms, this means most mortgage lenders will not lend against individual flats in the building until the cladding has been remediated and a new EWS1 assessment confirms a satisfactory rating. This can prevent sales, remortgages and in some cases affect insurance premiums and service charges.
However, a B2 rating does not necessarily mean the building is imminently dangerous. Fire risk assessments, waking watches or alarm systems may be in place as interim measures. The B2 rating is a trigger for remediation, not an indication that the building must be evacuated.
The freeholder or responsible entity is typically responsible for commissioning and managing the remediation works. As a leaseholder, you should request a clear remediation timeline, details of the proposed scope of works, an explanation of how costs will be allocated and information about any funding applications that have been made or are planned. Transparent communication from the freeholder is essential.
The government has established several funding routes to support the remediation of unsafe cladding on residential buildings. The Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS) provides funding for the remediation of buildings between 11 and 18 metres in height. The Building Safety Fund (BSF) provides funding for buildings over 18 metres. Both schemes are intended to ensure that leaseholders are not required to bear the cost of remediating life-critical fire safety defects that they did not cause.
Navigating the application process for these schemes requires careful preparation of technical documentation, cost estimates and evidence of building ownership and management arrangements. Our CSS / BSF Funding Advisory service supports freeholders and managing agents through this process.
In many cases, a more detailed assessment under PAS 9980:2022 (Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls) may be appropriate. This provides a proportionate, risk-based assessment that considers the specific context of the building, rather than applying a blanket pass/fail approach. A FRAEW assessment may determine that the risk is lower than initially indicated and that a less extensive remediation scope is appropriate, potentially saving significant cost and time.
No. An EWS1 certificate is typically only required where a mortgage lender identifies concerns about the external wall system of a building containing flats. Since 2023, lenders have applied a more refined risk-based approach, and buildings below 11 metres with no cladding concerns generally do not require an EWS1 form. Buildings over 18 metres with any form of cladding are more likely to require assessment. The requirement is driven by lender policy rather than statute, so individual lender positions may vary.
An EWS1 form is a standardised certificate used by mortgage lenders to confirm whether the external wall system of a building presents a fire risk. It provides a rating (A1, A2, A3, B1 or B2) that lenders use in their lending decisions. A Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) under PAS 9980:2022 is a more detailed, proportionate assessment of the external wall system. It considers the full context of the building and determines whether remediation is actually needed and to what extent. A FRAEW assessment can inform and support the EWS1 outcome.
An EWS1 certificate is valid for five years from the date of issue, provided that no material changes are made to the external wall system during that period. If remediation works are carried out, a new EWS1 assessment will be needed once the works are complete to confirm the updated position. Some lenders may also require a refreshed assessment if the certificate is approaching its expiry date at the point of a new mortgage application.
A B2 rating means the external wall system presents a fire risk that requires remediation. You should engage with your freeholder or managing agent to understand the remediation plan and timeline. Explore available funding routes such as the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS) for buildings 11–18 metres or the Building Safety Fund (BSF) for buildings over 18 metres. It is advisable to obtain independent professional advice on the proposed remediation scope, costs and any service charge implications before committing to any contribution.
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