Flat mortgage evidence guide · Reviewed 26 October 2026
Can you get a mortgage without an EWS1 form?
Sometimes. An EWS1 is not a legal requirement for a flat sale, and a lender or valuer may be able to proceed without one. The useful question is what evidence they need for this building—and whether it exists.
Start here
“No EWS1” can mean different things
An EWS1 records a specialist assessment of a residential building’s external wall system for valuation purposes. It covers the block, not an individual flat. It is not a certificate that the whole building is safe and does not replace the building’s wider fire risk assessment. The lender and its valuer decide whether they need it for a mortgage; the building owner or managing agent is usually the starting point for an existing form or other building records. RICS explains its scope.
No form has been commissioned
Ask what assessment of the external walls exists and whether any lender or valuer has asked for an EWS1. Do not assume the absence of a form means the block is safe or unmortgageable.
A lender has specifically asked for one
Find out why, and ask whether the lender will consider a particular existing report or remediation evidence instead. A broker cannot override the valuer’s or lender’s decision.
A form exists but is old or disputed
Ask for a copy and the reason it is being questioned. UK Finance’s April 2025 update says signatory lenders do not require wholesale replacement merely because an EWS1 is over five years old; individual lender policy still applies.
Your next step depends on the transaction
Buying, remortgaging or selling?
Buying a flat
Ask the seller or managing agent for the building’s external-wall position early, then tell your mortgage adviser and conveyancer. A mortgage agreement in principle usually does not settle the property question. Avoid assuming an accepted offer means the flat will pass valuation.
Your mortgage deal is ending
Ask your current lender what a product transfer would involve, and separately check what a switch to a new lender would require. The checks and costs can differ, especially if you want to borrow more. Our remortgage page explains the wider comparison.
Selling your flat
Ask the building manager for the records a buyer and their lender may request. Tell the estate agent and buyer what is known and what is still being assessed. The buyer’s lender makes its own valuation decision, so a previous mortgage is not proof of future acceptance.
A practical sequence
What to do before another application
Get the exact request
Ask the lender or broker whether the request came from published policy, an underwriter or the valuer, and what concern prompted it. “The lender wants building information” is too broad to solve.
Ask the managing agent what exists
Request any EWS1, FRAEW or other external-wall assessment, details of known defects and planned works, and evidence of how remediation will be funded where relevant. Ask when the information was last updated. The building owner or agent is better placed than an individual buyer to explain the block’s records.
Separate mortgage and legal questions
Your adviser can check lender criteria and affordability; the lender and valuer decide what property evidence is acceptable. Your conveyancer should review the lease and, in England where applicable, any leaseholder-protection documents. Do not treat a managing agent’s letter as a universal substitute for an EWS1.
Check the route before paying for work
If the first lender cannot proceed, ask whether a specific alternative document would help and whether another lender’s current policy fits the building. Discuss likely timescales and costs before ordering an assessment, committing to an application or approaching exchange.
Where remediation is needed, an absent EWS1 is only part of the question. UK Finance says signatory lenders may consider some affected buildings in England where qualifying funding, developer commitments or leaseholder protections can be evidenced, subject to each lender’s policy and the application. The England leaseholder-protection guidance explains the legal context; ask your conveyancer what applies to the flat. Do not assume the same scheme or documents apply elsewhere in the UK.
When a lender still insists
A clear request is easier to resolve
Ask for the precise missing item and whether the lender will reconsider with existing building evidence. If an EWS1 really is required and no suitable alternative is accepted, the building owner or managing agent may need to arrange the appropriate assessment. The adviser can explain other current lending routes, but none can guarantee a valuation or mortgage offer.
Useful details for an initial enquiry
- Flat address and whether you are buying, remortgaging or selling.
- Building height or storeys, your floor, and any known cladding or balcony issue.
- What the lender or valuer has asked for, ideally in their own words.
- What the managing agent has supplied or promised, and the date of the information.
- Your deadline, proposed deposit or equity, and any application already declined.
For the wider property and advice journey, read our high-rise flat mortgage page. For how current lender property criteria differ, use the high-rise lender-check guide. Neither page replaces a check on this specific block.
Common questions
Questions about missing EWS1 forms
Is an EWS1 legally required to sell or mortgage a flat?
No. It is a valuation tool, not a statutory sale certificate. A lender or valuer may still require it for a particular property before offering a mortgage. The absence of a legal requirement does not compel a lender to proceed.
Does a block under 18 metres avoid the EWS1 question?
No blanket height rule settles it. The building’s external walls and attachments, the valuer’s judgement and the lender’s current policy matter. RICS’s valuation guidance helps valuers decide when to request an EWS1, but individual property evidence can still be needed.
Can a managing agent’s letter replace an EWS1?
It may help explain the building, but it is not automatically an accepted replacement. Ask the lender what specific evidence it needs. Depending on the building, that could include an FRAEW, remediation records or other documents as well as an existing EWS1.
Must an EWS1 older than five years be replaced?
Not automatically. UK Finance says signatory lenders do not require wholesale replacement solely because a form has passed five years. A lender may still ask about changes to the building, the signatory or other evidence. Check the current policy before commissioning a new assessment.
Can I remortgage if my building has no EWS1?
Possibly. Your current lender’s product-transfer process may differ from a remortgage to a new lender, particularly where you want to borrow more. Ask what each route requires for this flat and compare the costs and terms; neither route is guaranteed.
What if the external-wall assessment says work is needed?
That is a different question from a missing form. The lender will consider its policy, the valuation, the proposed works and evidence of funding or legal protections where applicable. Your conveyancer should explain the legal position, especially any England-specific protection documents.
Discuss the evidence gap
Tell us what the lender asked for
Count Ready can review your mortgage circumstances and help identify the building questions to put to a lender. The initial evaluation has no fee; if you proceed, any applicable charges should be explained and agreed before chargeable work, as set out in our Terms of Business. Advice cannot remove the need for suitable building and income evidence or guarantee approval.