An EWS1 (External Wall System) certificate is evidence that a building with potentially combustible cladding has had a fire safety assessment as per fire safety regulations on residential buildings. After several rule changes, an EWS1 is now only required on buildings above 18 metres. A qualified professional will conduct a fire-risk appraisal of the external wall system, or cladding. They will then sign the EWS1 form based on that assessment.
What is an EWS1?
The building will be assigned one of the following ratings
Option A
External wall materials are unlikely to support combustion. Split into: A1 – There is no cladding that contains significant quantities of combustible material A2 – A risk assessment of cladding has taken place and no remedial works are required A3 – Cladding is unlikely to support combustion but remedial works may still be needed
Option B
The cladding contains combustible materials. Then your building can be: B1 – The fire risk is low enough that remedial works are not required B2 – The fire risk is high enough to require remedial work
The EWS1 certificate was introduced to reassure lenders so that mortgages can be offered on flats within a building with cladding. They can then consider the above ratings and whether a mortgage can be obtained.
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