The short answer
An EWS1 form is a one-page record, created by RICS with lenders, that tells a valuer whether the external wall of a residential building needs remedial work. It is signed by a suitably qualified professional, rates the wall A1 to A3 or B1 to B2, and is valid for up to five years. It is not a legal requirement and it is not a fire risk assessment.
On this page
If you are buying, selling or remortgaging a flat, or managing a block where leaseholders are, you will hear about EWS1 forms. They are often confused with fire risk assessments. They do different jobs, for different people.
What an EWS1 form is for
The External Wall System form, EWS1, was introduced by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) with lenders and others in December 2019. Its purpose is valuation: it tells a valuer and a lender whether the external wall of a residential building is likely to need remedial work that could affect the value of a flat.
It is:
- one form for the whole building, not each flat;
- started by the building owner, not the buyer or seller;
- completed by a fully qualified, competent member of a relevant professional body; and
- valid for up to five years from signing, unless the wall or its attachments change significantly.
The five ratings
The signatory chooses one of two options, then one rating within it.
Option A: the external wall materials are unlikely to support combustion.
- A1: there are no attachments, such as balconies, with significant combustible material.
- A2: there are attachments, but a risk assessment shows no remedial work is needed.
- A3: neither of the above, so remedial work to attachments may be needed.
Option B: combustible materials are present in the external wall.
- B1: the fire risk is low enough that no remedial work is needed.
- B2: the fire risk is high enough that remedial work is needed.
A1, A2 and B1 are generally what lenders want to see. A3 and B2 usually mean the lender will want to know more about the works, who pays for them and when.
When is one needed?
EWS1 is not a legal requirement. Whether a lender asks for one depends on its own policy, and many follow RICS valuation guidance, which uses storeys and materials rather than metres:
- Over six storeys: where there is cladding or curtain wall glazing, or stacked balconies with certain combustible elements.
- Five or six storeys: where there is a significant amount of cladding (about a quarter of the elevation), any ACM, MCM or HPL panels, or stacked combustible balconies.
- Four storeys or fewer: where ACM, MCM or HPL panels are present.
In 2021 the government said lenders should not ask for EWS1 on blocks under 18 metres. RICS kept its guidance, and lenders can still insist on a form outside it.
How it differs from a fire risk assessment
| EWS1 form | Fire risk assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Valuation and lending | Life safety, legal duty |
| Required by law | No | Yes |
| Who asks | Lenders and valuers | The law; fire service enforces |
| Covers | External wall only | The whole of the common parts, including the external wall at a general level |
| Who commissions | Building owner | Responsible person |
| Lasts | Up to five years | Reviewed regularly, usually yearly |
A fire risk assessment of a block should consider the external wall and say whether it needs a specialist look. It is not an EWS1 form, and an EWS1 form does not discharge the duty to have a fire risk assessment.
What about PAS 9980?
PAS 9980:2022 is the BSI method for a fire risk appraisal of external walls in existing multi-storey, multi-occupied residential buildings. It looks at the risk to residents from fire spreading over or within the wall, and decides whether remediation or other measures are needed.
An appraisal to PAS 9980 can inform an EWS1 form, and a fire risk assessment may recommend one. But the three are separate:
- the fire risk assessment is the legal duty for the whole building;
- the PAS 9980 appraisal is the specialist look at the external wall’s fire risk;
- the EWS1 form is the summary a lender relies on.
What should a block manager do?
- Make sure the block has a current fire risk assessment that states whether an external wall appraisal is needed.
- If it is, commission a PAS 9980 appraisal from a fire engineer or similar specialist.
- If leaseholders are being asked for EWS1 by lenders, ask the appraiser whether they can also sign one, and check their professional body membership.
- Keep everything on the building file and share the relevant parts with residents.
For the assessment itself, see fire risk assessment for flats, or tell us about the block and we will find a competent assessor who covers your area.