Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to help ensure that banks are not requesting EWS1 forms for buildings that are under 18 meters.

An independent expert statement in July this year was clear that there is no systemic risk of fire in residential buildings under 18 metres and that EWS1s should not be required by lenders on buildings under 18 metres. The Government continues to challenge industry on the use of the EWS1 process, as well as pressing for more data in order to understand how the RICS guidance is being applied, and the impact of the process on mortgage applications.