EWS1 forms
External Wall System (EWS1) forms were introduced by the Royal Institution for Chartered Surveyors (RICS) in December 2019 to help mortgage lenders as part of their loan process. The EWS1 form allows the owner of the building to confirm that an external wall system has been assessed for safety by a suitable expert, in line with government guidance.
As of 9 January 2023, six of the major lenders confirmed that their lending rules on buildings over 11 metres high that are impacted by building safety issues have changed, with some no longer asking for EWS1 certificates.
We're aware that some lenders continue to request EWS1 forms and share your frustration as this is affecting hundreds of thousands of leaseholders across the country. There are less than 100 registered fire safety engineers available to investigate a building’s external wall system and issue EWS1 forms, and so this can take up to 6 months.
If you’re looking to staircase, sell or remortgage your house, please contact our Sales team via the chat bot for information and support. We also advise you to seek advice from your mortgage lender before beginning the process and speak to an independent financial advisor. The Leasehold Advisory Service (www.lease-advice.org) and the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership (www.leaseholdknowledge.com) are potential sources of advice.
For more information on RICS and their guidance on the EWS1 process, please visit their website.