Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2025 to Question 28103 on Flats: Fire Prevention, what examples of alternative evidence should mortgage lenders consider when an EWS1 form has been incorrectly issued.

10 mortgage lenders have signed a statement confirming they will lend on buildings before they have been remediated. We expect these lenders to honour this statement and not require an EWS1. The statement can be found here.

Where a lender is not accepting an EWS1 for a building, leaseholders should provide alternative evidence, for example a letter from the department or the developer, to a mortgage lender that: their building is in the Cladding Safety Scheme, Building Safety Fund or covered by a developer that has signed the Developer Remediation Contract. They can also complete a Leaseholder Deed of Certificate to evidence they qualify for the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act. More information for leaseholders on completing a Leaseholder of Certificate can be found here

EWS1s (External Wall System Fire Review) are not a legal or regulatory requirement and as such we do not collect information on the number of EWS1 forms issued by individual firms. EWS1s are not used in the consideration of applications for government funded cladding remediation schemes.