What is an EWS1?
In 2019 the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) introduced what is known as an EWS1 which is an External Wall System Fire Review Certificate that plays a part for leaseholders when buying, selling, or mortgaging properties. For a development to obtain an EWS1 a fire safety expert must come and inspect the development, completing a risk assessment to determine whether it is fire safe and meets the requirement to obtain the certificate. For certain developments leaseholders will be asked to present an EWS1 to lenders when looking to value, sell or re-mortgage properties.
In this process the development is assigned one of 5 ratings either A1, A2, A3, B1 or B2.
Those in the A ratings are where external materials are unlikely to cause combustion and are as follows:
A1 – No attachments made using significant quantities of combustible materials.
A2 – An appropriate risk assessment of the attachments confirming no remedial works are required
A3 – The two options above aren’t applicable and there may be potential costs for remedial works.
B ratings apply to those where combustible materials are present and are as follows:
B1 – The conclusion is reached that the fire risk is sufficiently low, and no remedial works are required
B2 – The adequate standard of safety is not met, and client is identified of organisation for remedial works and interim measures required.
The Ratings which are considered “passed” and in which most lenders will lend are A1, A2 and B1