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EWS1 survey: what your lender needs and finding a qualified assessor
An EWS1 form records the external wall fire safety of a building with cladding, and some lenders require a valid one before they will lend on a flat. It is completed for the whole building by a qualified professional, not per flat. A revised RICS standard, effective 1 November 2026, narrows when an EWS1 should be requested at all, so it is worth checking whether your building actually needs one before arranging an assessment.
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What it is
EWS1, the External Wall System form, was introduced after the Grenfell fire to record the fire safety of a building's external walls and cladding. It is assessed for the whole building, and one valid form covers every flat in it.
RICS published a revised standard, effective 1 November 2026, which asks for an EWS1 only "where there is a clear rationale", based on the building's height, visible cladding, curtain wall glazing and certain balcony configurations, rather than as a routine request for any building with cladding. A fire risk appraisal of external walls (FRAEW) summary can sometimes stand in for a full EWS1.
This page is about getting the survey when a sale or remortgage is blocked.
The survey and the work
A qualified professional, such as a suitably experienced chartered engineer or surveyor, assesses the building's external wall system and completes the EWS1 form with one of the defined outcomes.
Because the form is for the whole building, it is usually the freeholder, managing agent or management company who should arrange it, not an individual leaseholder, although leaseholders often have to chase it.
A valid EWS1 form, where required, is then what a lender relies on to value and lend on flats in that building.
Cost
- EWS1 assessment
- Get a quote Arranged for the whole building; usually the freeholder or managing agent's responsibility.
- Who pays
- Often the building, not you Check whether the freeholder, managing agent or a remediation fund covers it before paying yourself.
There is no set fee: the assessor quotes for the specific building, so ask for the quote in writing before anyone commits to it.
Who it is for
- Leaseholders trying to sell or remortgage a flat where a lender has asked for an EWS1 form.
- Freeholders, managing agents or management companies who need to arrange an assessment for a building.
- Buyers of a flat in a building with cladding who need to confirm a valid EWS1 form exists.
The mortgage and sale angle
- Many lenders require a valid EWS1 form before lending on a flat in a building with cladding, so without one a sale or remortgage can stall completely (RICS EWS1 guidance).
- This is the highest-stakes blocker in this tier: a leaseholder can be unable to sell or remortgage at all until the form is in place, which makes a qualified assessment urgent and valuable.
- Because the form covers the whole building, the fastest route is often pressing the freeholder or managing agent to arrange it, and checking whether a remediation fund applies.
How to choose a specialist
- Use a professional qualified to complete the EWS1 form, such as a suitably experienced chartered engineer or surveyor working to the RICS process.
- Confirm the assessor is competent for the specific building and that the resulting form will be accepted by lenders.
- Check first whether the freeholder, managing agent or a government remediation scheme should arrange or fund it before paying yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is an EWS1 form for?
It records the fire safety of a building's external walls and cladding, and many lenders require a valid one before lending on a flat in an affected building.
Who arranges and pays for an EWS1 survey?
Because it covers the whole building, it is normally the freeholder, managing agent or management company who arranges it, and the cost often sits with the building rather than an individual leaseholder. Check this, and whether a remediation fund applies, before paying yourself.
Can I sell my flat without an EWS1 form?
Sometimes, but if the building has cladding and a lender requires an EWS1 form, a buyer relying on a mortgage may be unable to proceed without one. Where it is required, obtaining a valid form is usually what unblocks the sale or remortgage.
Does every building with cladding need an EWS1?
No. A revised RICS standard effective 1 November 2026 asks assessors and lenders to request an EWS1 only where there is a clear rationale, based on the building's height, cladding, glazing and balconies, rather than routinely for any building with cladding. Check with your lender and managing agent whether your specific building actually needs one before arranging an assessment.
Sources
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Editor, VettedHome
Adam leads VettedHome's editorial coverage of UK home services. He is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose, the commercial strategy and modern systems business behind a portfolio of UK information sites, and he researches and writes the plain-English guides that help homeowners choose between installers and trades, drawing on the standards set by the relevant bodies for each job, such as Gas Safe Register, NICEIC, MCS, TrustMark and the Property Care Association. He is clear about what to check before any work starts.
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