EWS1 surveyor
Only certain professionals can sign a cladding form. Check their credentials and experience first.
EWS1 form: what it covers and who needs one
An EWS1 form records the fire safety of external walls on a block of flats. Lenders ask for one before approving a mortgage.
The form
People often ask what is an external wall form when a sale stalls. The document confirms whether cladding or balconies pose a fire risk.
Ratings guide
Find out what A1, A2, A3, B1 and B2 mean if a mortgage was refused over cladding.
Building height
Height alone does not decide if flats need a cladding certificate. Other factors matter too.
EWS1 Survey
A leaseholder can arrange an EWS1 survey in ews1 forms without waiting for the freeholder.
Assessment
The external wall survey cost varies by building size. The owner usually pays for the work.
After the enquiry
Once sent, details go to a specialist firm covering the building who contacts the right party.
EWS1 form
takes enquiries about external wall checks for flats. A separate specialist firm carries out each EWS1 assessment, writes the EWS1 report and issues the EWS1 certificate. That firm arranges the EWS1 survey and provides the EWS1 surveyor who inspects the building.
Read more
A typical case involves a flat owner whose lender requests proof the external walls are safe.
The specialist firm visits the block, inspects the materials and completes the paperwork so the sale or remortgage can go ahead.
Guides
These pages explain the ratings, the rules and what happens during a cladding check before selling a flat.
Rating guides
What the assessor records on site
The specialist firm notes every material found on the walls, balconies and attachments during the visit.
EWS1 Assessment: Steps and Paperwork
No two blocks share identical construction, so each requires a separate look at its walls.
When a lender asks for more detail
Sometimes the initial paperwork is not enough and the lender asks the specialist firm for further evidence.
Questions about EWS1 forms
Lenders request this document to confirm the external walls of a block meet current fire safety standards. Without it, a mortgage application for a flat will usually stop until the specialist firm completes the inspection and issues the paperwork.
Only a professional with specific fire safety qualifications can sign. The specialist firm provides someone with the right credentials, and their registration can be verified through the relevant professional body before any work starts on the building.
Ratings range from A1 to B2. An A1 means no combustible materials were found, while a B2 means remediation is needed. Lenders use these grades to decide whether to approve a mortgage or allow a sale to proceed without further conditions on the flat.
Height is one factor, but buildings under 18 metres may still need the paperwork if they have specific cladding types or balcony materials. The specialist firm reviews the construction to determine whether the document is required for a particular block of flats.
A leaseholder can arrange the inspection directly. The specialist firm works with whoever holds responsibility for the building, whether that is the leaseholder, freeholder or managing agent, to gain access and complete the checks on the walls.