EWS1 Form Explained: Hidden Requirements Your Surveyor Won’t Tell You

Initially designed for buildings over 18 metres tall, the EWS1 form requirements now affect residential properties of any height, impacting countless homeowners across the UK. Although not a statutory requirement, this fire safety assessment has become a crucial document demanded by mortgage lenders, with over 6,000 completed assessments to date.

The EWS1 certificate, valid for five years, applies to various residential properties including blocks of flats, student accommodation, and care homes. Following extensive consultation with fire engineers, lenders, and insurers, this assessment process helps determine the safety of external wall systems and their impact on property values.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll uncover the hidden requirements of obtaining an EWS1 form, explore the true costs involved, and explain how different ratings affect your property’s value. We’ll also share critical insights about timeframes and potential delays that most surveyors won’t tell you upfront.

What is an EWS1 Form and When Is It Actually Required?

The EWS1 form (External Wall Survey) serves as a standardised assessment tool for residential buildings with external wall systems. Created by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), UK Finance, and the Building Societies Association, this document helps lenders evaluate potential fire safety risks in properties with cladding. However, it’s crucial to understand that an EWS1 form is neither a government requirement nor a life safety certificate.

The True Purpose Behind EWS1 Certificates

Essentially, the EWS1 process delivers assurance for lenders, valuers, residents, buyers and sellers regarding external wall safety. The assessment determines whether remedial works are required, thereby affecting property value. Contrary to common belief, this form’s primary purpose is not safety certification but rather supporting the valuation process for mortgage providers. This distinction explains why some buildings without immediate safety concerns still require EWS1 assessment for property transactions.

Height Requirements: Buildings Under vs Over 18m

Originally, the EWS1 form applied exclusively to residential buildings over 18 metres tall. Nevertheless, this scope expanded significantly over time. In July 2021, the government announced that EWS1 forms would no longer be needed for buildings lower than 18 metres. Despite this announcement, RICS rejected government calls to scrap EWS1 checks on all buildings under 18 metres, maintaining that some mid-rise buildings still require assessment.

Types of Cladding That Trigger Mandatory Assessment

According to RICS guidance, specific cladding types automatically trigger EWS1 requirements:

•  Buildings of any height with aluminium composite material (ACM), metal composite material (MCM), or high-pressure laminate (HPL) panels
•  Buildings over six storeys with cladding, curtain wall glazing, or combustible balconies 
•  Buildings of five or six storeys with significant cladding (approximately one-quarter of the façade) 

Furthermore, buildings with vertically stacked balconies made partially or wholly from combustible materials may require assessment regardless of height.

Recent Changes to EWS1 Requirements (2024 Update)

Recent data from mortgage lenders reveals that height remains a primary factor in determining EWS1 requirements. Between January and March 2024, required an EWS1 form or equivalent, unchanged from the previous quarter 46% of mortgage valuations for flats in buildings 7 storeys and above. Meanwhile, this requirement decreased to 23% for mid-rise buildings (5-6 storeys) and remained at just 2% for buildings of 1-4 storeys.

Significantly, six high street banks—including Barclays, HSBC, and Santander—have modified their policies, no longer requiring EWS1 forms for buildings where developers have committed to remediation or buildings covered by government schemes.

The Hidden Costs of Obtaining an EWS1 Certificate

The financial burden of securing an EWS1 form often comes as a shock to property owners. Obtaining this crucial document involves multiple layers of expenses that many surveyors

fail to disclose upfront, leaving building owners and leaseholders unprepared for the true financial impact.

Initial Assessment Fees: What Surveyors Don’t Tell You Upfront

Contrary to what many expect, EWS1 assessment costs vary dramatically. Basic assessments start at approximately £750 for simpler buildings , yet this represents only the entry-level fee. For standard inspections, costs typically begin at £6,000. More complex or larger buildings can incur expenses exceeding £20,000.

These substantial variations stem from:

•  Building size and structural complexity
•  Property location (regional price differences)
•  Assessor qualifications (chartered fire engineers command premium rates)
•  Assessment urgency (expedited services cost more)

Indeed, most surveyors initially quote base rates without highlighting potential additional charges that frequently arise during the process.

Additional Testing Costs When Intrusive Inspection Is Required

Simply reviewing design drawings proves insufficient for proper EWS1 assessment. Physical inspections must include photographic evidence, and more importantly, many buildings require intrusive testing. This involves drilling holes into walls or removing cladding sections at multiple locations to properly identify all external wall materials and their installation quality.

Subsequently, these invasive procedures significantly increase costs beyond initial estimates. Such comprehensive assessments necessitate specialist equipment and additional expert time, factors rarely mentioned during preliminary consultations.

Who Really Pays? Leaseholder vs Freeholder Responsibilities

Primarily, freeholders bear legal responsibility for ensuring building safety. The Building Safety Act makes it illegal for building owners to pass cladding removal costs above established caps to qualifying leaseholders. Nevertheless, leases typically determine financial obligations, and many allow some costs to be passed to leaseholders through service charges.

Notably, housing associations may still pass EWS1 form costs to homeowners because they’re lender requirements rather than legal obligations. This creates a particularly challenging situation for leaseholders in buildings requiring remediation, as they face both assessment costs and potential property devaluation until works complete.

Consequently, prospective buyers and current owners should carefully review lease terms and understand their financial exposure before proceeding with transactions involving properties requiring EWS1 assessment.

Navigating the EWS1 Assessment Timeline

Securing an EWS1 form involves a timeline that stretches far beyond what most property owners anticipate. While some surveyors advertise quick turnarounds, the reality often differs substantially from these optimistic estimates.

Realistic Timeframes: From Application to Certificate

The complete EWS1 assessment process typically takes from start to finish between 6 and 12 months. In contrast, some building owners advertise much shorter timeframes, claiming they can review and provide consultancy in as little as 24 to 48 hours. Yet these accelerated timelines remain exceedingly rare in practise.

For standard residential buildings, property owners should expect:

•  Initial survey: 3-4 weeks after making the request 
•  Report production: Another 3-4 weeks following the survey 
•  Overall minimum waiting period: 8-16 weeks due to unprecedented demand

The complexity of your building substantially affects these timeframes. Simple assessments for straightforward buildings might take 7-10 days, whereas more complex evaluations requiring detailed evidence gathering could extend beyond a month.

Common Delays Your Surveyor Won’t Mention

The acute shortage of qualified professionals represents the primary bottleneck in the EWS1 process. Currently, there are simply not enough fire engineers to meet the overwhelming demand, resulting in waiting periods of eight to ten weeks that continue to lengthen.

Additional factors that frequently extend timelines include:

•  Finding suitable assessors: The lead-in time for engaging qualified fire engineers often exceeds three months 
•  Intrusive surveys: When original documentation proves insufficient, invasive inspections become necessary, adding weeks or months to the process 
•  Documentation issues: Assessors must review considerable documentation and gather physical evidence, which frequently proves time-consuming 

Moreover, negotiations with original developers or warranty providers can significantly extend timelines, especially when remediation works become necessary. Unfortunately, this bottleneck shows little sign of easing, with some experts suggesting that incorporating EWS1 assessments into mandatory fire risk assessments could potentially reduce these substantial delays.

Understanding EWS1 Form Ratings and Their Impact

The EWS1 assessment process culminates in specific ratings that determine your property’s future marketability. These ratings fall into two main categories—A and B—each with critical subcategories that can dramatically impact mortgage eligibility and property value.

Decoding A1-A3 Ratings: What They Actually Mean for Your Property

A1 rating indicates that your building’s external walls contain no significant quantities of combustible materials. This represents the best possible outcome, essentially giving your property a clean bill of health for fire safety purposes.

A2 rating applies when, despite having attachments like balconies, a fire risk assessment has confirmed no remedial works are needed. Undeniably, both A1 and A2 ratings are favourable and “not likely to lead to any further action“.

A3 rating suggests that while primary materials meet safety standards, attachments to the external wall may require remedial work. Henceforth, some modifications might be necessary, though typically less extensive than with lower ratings.

B1 vs B2 Ratings: The Critical Difference for Mortgage Approval

B1 rating confirms that although combustible materials exist in the external wall, the fire risk is “” sufficiently low that no remedial works are required. Most lenders accept this rating for mortgage purposes.

B2 rating, conversely, indicates an inadequate standard of fire safety requiring remedial work. This rating creates significant challenges—many valuers assign properties a “nil value” for lending purposes until remediation.

How Ratings Affect Your Property Value and Insurance Premiums

Properties with A1, A2, or B1 ratings generally maintain their market value and mortgage eligibility. Alternatively, those with A3 or B2 ratings typically face devaluation until remediation is complete.

Insurance premiums similarly reflect these assessments. Buildings without valid EWS1 forms or with poor ratings “often face steeply increased premiums” with some deemed “uninsurable”. Forthwith, even buildings with B1 ratings occasionally encounter insurance challenges, with some companies “quadrupling insurance premium” despite passing the assessment.

Conclusion

Understanding EWS1 requirements proves essential for property owners, buyers, and sellers across the UK. Though initially created for tall buildings, these assessments now affect properties of all heights, bringing significant financial and practical implications.

The process demands careful consideration of several key factors. First, costs can range from £750 to over £20,000, depending on building complexity and assessment requirements. Second, realistic timeframes stretch between 6 to 12 months, largely due to the shortage of qualified assessors. Third, property ratings directly influence mortgage eligibility and insurance costs.

Recent changes offer some relief, particularly through modified policies from major banks like Barclays, HSBC, and Santander. These institutions no longer require EWS1 forms for buildings where developers have committed to remediation or properties covered under government schemes.

Property owners should remember that while EWS1 forms remain valid for five years, their impact on property value and transaction potential continues throughout this period. The assessment outcome, especially concerning B2 ratings, could significantly affect both immediate and long-term property decisions.

Most importantly, successful navigation of the EWS1 process requires thorough preparation, realistic expectations about costs and timelines, and clear understanding of potential outcomes. Armed with this knowledge, property owners can better manage their EWS1 assessment journey and make informed decisions about their property’s future.