Flat building evidence · Reviewed 26 October 2026
What is an EWS1 form?
An EWS1 form records a qualified professional’s assessment of a block’s external wall system for mortgage valuation. It helps a lender and valuer understand whether wall materials or attachments could lead to remediation costs. It is not a certificate that the building is safe to live in.
The short explanation
What the form does—and what it does not
RICS calls it Form EWS1: External Wall Fire Review; EWS refers to the external wall system. The form came from a cross-industry process following concerns about cladding and external walls on residential buildings. A suitable expert investigates the building’s external walls and attachments, such as balconies, then signs a form stating their conclusion. A lender’s valuer may use it when deciding whether potential work affects a flat’s value and saleability. Read the RICS EWS1 form.
It covers the block
The form identifies a building, not the personal circumstances or mortgage eligibility of a particular flat owner.
It supports valuation
It is a standard way to communicate an external-wall conclusion to valuers and lenders. They still apply their own professional judgement and policy.
It is not a safety certificate
It does not assess every fire risk in the building, replace the building fire risk assessment or guarantee that no future work will be needed.
Reading the result
What do A1, A2, A3, B1 and B2 mean?
The form first separates Option A, where the primary external-wall materials are unlikely to support combustion, from Option B, where combustible materials are present and a more detailed risk assessment is needed. The letter and number describe the expert’s conclusion about the wall or attachments. They are not a mortgage approval grade or a complete description of the building’s fire safety.
| Result | What the form says in practice | Question to check |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Under Option A, no attachment contains significant quantities of combustible material. | Does the lender need anything further about the building? |
| A2 | Under Option A, an appropriate assessment of attachments concludes that no remedial work is needed. | Is the assessment current for the building as it stands? |
| A3 | Under Option A, neither A1 nor A2 applies; there may be costs for remedial work to attachments. | What work or cost is being considered, and who is responsible? |
| B1 | Combustible wall materials are present, but the assessor concludes that fire risk is sufficiently low that no remedial work is needed. | Does the valuer accept the evidence for this transaction? |
| B2 | Combustible wall materials are present and the assessor concludes that remedial work is required. | What is the work plan, funding position and lender policy? |
In particular, A3 is not a simple “all clear”, and B1 does not mean work is required. If the form indicates possible or required work, ask the building owner or managing agent for the underlying assessment, the proposed work and the funding position. A lender may need more evidence even where the result does not call for remediation. The RICS form defines the options; a mortgage adviser cannot reinterpret the expert’s assessment.
Documents with different purposes
How is EWS1 different from an FRAEW or fire risk assessment?
EWS1 form
A concise building-level outcome intended to help a mortgage valuer and lender consider the external walls and any possible remediation costs. It is not itself the full investigation report.
FRAEW
A Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls examines the risk of fire spreading through the external wall system. It is a specialist assessment and can inform an EWS1, but the two documents have different jobs.
Building FRA
The building’s fire risk assessment deals with wider fire-safety duties. In England it must consider external walls; it may call for a more detailed FRAEW. It is not automatically a substitute for a lender-requested EWS1.
GOV.UK explains the FRAEW and FRA relationship for England. Fire-safety responsibilities and remediation schemes differ across UK nations, so check the building’s location rather than assuming an England-specific process applies everywhere.
Getting the right document
Who arranges an EWS1—and how do you find an existing one?
The building owner or managing agent is generally the place to ask whether an EWS1 has been commissioned and to request a copy. An individual flat owner cannot usually commission a building-wide assessment alone. The form should be completed by a suitably competent professional; the necessary expertise depends on the assessment and building. An adviser, estate agent or conveyancer cannot simply sign it in place of that expert. RICS explains the process and competence requirements.
Ask what exists
Request the form, its date and building address, and any later external-wall assessment or remediation update. Check that the copy relates to the correct block.
Ask about changes
Find out whether the external walls or attachments have changed since the form was signed, or whether the signatory or conclusion is being disputed.
Share the lender’s actual request
If a valuer asks for an EWS1, pass the exact wording to the building manager. Ask the lender whether it needs a new form, the existing form, or other evidence.
The RICS form describes validity of up to five years and reassessment after significant changes. That does not mean every older form must automatically be replaced. UK Finance’s April 2025 update says signatory lenders do not require wholesale replacement solely because forms are over five years old; individual lender policy and the building’s circumstances still matter.
When buying or remortgaging
Does the EWS1 result decide whether you can get a mortgage?
No single EWS1 grade guarantees a mortgage, and an absent form does not automatically prevent one. The lender considers its current property criteria, the valuer’s findings, any planned remediation and evidence about funding, alongside the borrower’s circumstances. If work is recommended, ask what information the lender and conveyancer need about the plan, cost and any applicable legal protections. Those protections differ by nation and by property.
Choose the guide for your question
- No EWS1 form or a lender has asked for one? Follow the missing-evidence route.
- Considering a high-rise flat mortgage? See the wider property and advice journey.
- Comparing lender approaches? Learn what needs a current, property-specific check.
Common questions
EWS1 form FAQs
Is an EWS1 form a legal requirement?
No. It is an industry valuation document, not a statutory certificate for selling a flat. A particular lender or valuer may still request it before they can proceed.
Does every block of flats need an EWS1?
No. A valuer should have a reason to request one, based on the building and the lender’s instructions. A simple height cut-off does not determine every case. RICS’s updated secured-lending standard is due to take effect on 1 November 2026 and should be checked alongside current lender policy.
Does a B2 result mean a mortgage is impossible?
Not automatically. B2 records that the assessor considers remedial work necessary. The lender must still assess the property evidence, valuation, work and funding under its policy. The outcome cannot be promised in advance.
Who pays for an EWS1 assessment?
The building owner or managing agent normally arranges the building-wide process. Who ultimately bears costs depends on the lease, the work involved and any applicable funding or legal protection. Ask the building manager and, if a charge is proposed, your conveyancer; do not assume a fixed fee or liability.
Can I use a five-year-old EWS1?
Possibly. The form originally describes a period of up to five years, but UK Finance says signatory lenders do not require wholesale replacement solely because a form is older. A lender may still need an update because of building changes, signatory concerns or its own policy.
A mortgage question about your flat
Tell us what evidence has been requested
Count Ready can discuss your mortgage circumstances and help identify the lender and property questions that need checking. We are a mortgage broker, not a building-safety assessor or conveyancer. Our initial mortgage evaluation has no fee; if you proceed, we explain and agree applicable fees before chargeable work in line with our Terms of Business. Advice does not guarantee a valuation or mortgage offer.