EWS1 form

pauldwaite

RICS have published an update on their website, saying they'll release a revised EWS1 form and process in "Autumn", presumably in an effort to address professional indemnity insurance difficulties for surveyors, and possibly to clarify the applicability to buildings below 18 metres:

https://www.rics.org/uk/news-insight/latest-news/news-opinion/update-on-rics-pii-response/

I have heard from an estate agent who got EWS1 forms signed for two blocks during lockdown, and a mortgage broker involved in the purchase of several flats where EWS1 forms have been obtained. (RICS claimed back in June that 860 EWS1 forms have been issued.)

Hopefully an updated EWS1 process from RICS will help more safe blocks get the okay soon.

annetheman

I have a date for the EWS inspection now - 28th August. I'm actually so bored of the whole thing, I'm not even excited about moving anymore. It'll happen when it happens (could be 5 years for some given the current state of play)!

pauldwaite said:

RICS have published an update on their website, saying they'll release a revised EWS1 form and process in "Autumn", presumably in an effort to address professional indemnity insurance difficulties for surveyors, and possibly to clarify the applicability to buildings below 18 metres:

https://www.rics.org/uk/news-insight/latest-news/news-opinion/update-on-rics-pii-response/

I have heard from an estate agent who got EWS1 forms signed for two blocks during lockdown, and a mortgage broker involved in the purchase of several flats where EWS1 forms have been obtained. (RICS claimed back in June that 860 EWS1 forms have been issued.)

Hopefully an updated EWS1 process from RICS will help more safe blocks get the okay soon.

Interesting times! I anticipate many more revisions to this calamitous process in the years to follow.

annetheman

Nazariah said:

Hi,
Thanks for your responses.
We have now had an update that the housing association has contracted experts to conduct the EWS1 form investigation. We should know more tomorrow if further inspection of the structure will be needed or if they can sign off from the documentation available. 
I agree GDB222, we have often thought about giving up on this purchase and we have looked at other options but unfortunately the housing market in London is just impossible. All things considered even though this has been an absolute nightmare transaction we haven't found anywhere that would be better for us.

Wow, congratulations! The first person I have heard of on here and Twitter to have a resolution (with a fully completed and accepted form!
I hope you are on the road to completion, if you haven't already 

alsamps21

GDB2222 said:

I'll just add one more thing. Suppose the government puts pressure on lenders to relax their requirements, that only makes sense if there is no problem and lenders are being vastly overly cautious. But, you have to ask yourself whether they are? Lenders are in business to lend money, and they would not let a lack of inspection stand in their way, unless they think there’s a real possibility of ruinously expensive fire precautions being required.

My only hope is that the government do pressurise lenders to be more flexible. This situation is causing so much stress, we are losing out on money and I'm desperate to move away. I feel so trapped and not knowing how long this will go on for makes it much harder (we have been waiting to remortgage for a year now).  

pauldwaite

There's a Parliament petition, in case anyone wants to sign it:

• https://petition.parliament.uk/signatures/91115285

Also some decent media coverage:

• https://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/presenters/nick-ferrari/homes-unsellable-for-10-years-unsafe-cladding
• https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/08/homeowners-face-sales-falling-through-and-zero-valuations-due-to-fire-safety-test-delays
• https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/uk/15bn-property-problem-inside-cladding-circle-blame/
• https://news.sky.com/story/cladding-checks-circle-of-blame-around-post-grenfell-building-safety-rules-has-left-me-stuck-12062677
  
• https://www.theguardian.com/money/2020/sep/05/uk-flat-owners-sell-fire-safety-ews1-survey
  

And finally, while RICS work feverishly on their process revisions (is it "Autumn" yet?), they're warning everyone to watch out for EWS1 scams, which are now A Thing:

• https://www.rics.org/uk/news-insight/latest-news/news-opinion/rics-highlights-the-importance-of-expertise-required-to-sign-off-ews1-forms/

pauldwaite

I got half of that from a Facebook group I joined, started by a company that does fire safety assessments (but not currently EWS1 forms, due to the insurance issues):

• https://www.facebook.com/groups/2988795381239015/

annetheman

Hi everyone, if anyone was wondering about the timelines once an EWS1 is completed, I have had an update on my EWS1 survey - the report will take 4 weeks to write up...! It was done on the 28th August so I don't expect it until w/c 28th September, which is disappointing.

So I doubt I'll complete until end of October, if the valuer accepts the report of course!

The way lenders are blanket requesting this for all buildings is savage patience is a virtue I guess...! I should appreciate having 2 more months of low liability because Share Ownership updates from MHCLG will mean new S/O leaseholders will NOT pay repairs and maintenance on their flat in the first 10 years. So the delay has been a bit of a blessing! Hope the change is implemented by exchange!

katie91_2

I wouldn’t hold your hopes up for the report in 4 weeks - our tests were done on 1st July and still waiting! 

Should have had it in the last week of August and now been told there’s a 3 week delay due to issues with one of the buildings ahead of ours in the ‘queue’.

annetheman

This darn form makes me want to cry  it's important to know without any doubt that your building is fire safe and thus will be sellable in future but the process wasn't designed for building <18m so the bottleneck caused by bringing so many more into scope is just a complete nightmare... It's worse for the poor current leaseholders who get a B1 or B2 and have to pay for remediation, so I guess I'll count myself lucky.

Sit sight and save some more  *drums fingers

doodbug

Does anyone here know if lenders will lend on an EWS1 B1 rating?
Or do they lend only on A1/A2/A3 ratings?