EWS1 form

activenorman

doodbug said:

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

Halifax have approved my mortgage for a flat in a building with a B1 rating.

Lorenzo94

activenorman said:

doodbug said:

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

Halifax have approved my mortgage for a flat in a building with a B1 rating.

Hi, I have Halifax an A2 EWS1 form and they said that it has been signed off by a not qualified person. Did you give them a cover letter with the form or anything else?

GDB2222

Can I just point out one thing. When the lenders are being very careful, scrutinising these documents, they are protecting buyers as well as themselves. The very, very last thing you want is to buy the flat and then find out later that the EWS1 was invalid. That would leave you in an unsaleable flat that's very possibly unsafe as well, with the prospect of very expensive repairs to make it safe.

Lunchbox

doodbug said:

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

We have a B1 (no remedial works required) and a couple of neighbours have had sales fall though because the lenders wouldn’t lend on it.

Lisa142

Lunchbox said:

doodbug said:

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

We have a B1 (no remedial works required) and a couple of neighbours have had sales fall though because the lenders wouldn’t lend on it.

This is the issue we have. Over the past year we have had two buyers refused a mortgage by Halifax with our B1 form. But seen another property in the flat sold with the same form! The worrying is literally taking over our life.

GDB2222

Lisa142 said:

Lunchbox said:

doodbug said:

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

We have a B1 (no remedial works required) and a couple of neighbours have had sales fall though because the lenders wouldn’t lend on it.

This is the issue we have. Over the past year we have had two buyers refused a mortgage by Halifax with our B1 form. But seen another property in the flat sold with the same form! The worrying is literally taking over our life.

Do you know which lender did lend? It will be shown in the land registry entry for that flat.

annetheman

To be fair I don't mind the delay this is causing to my purchase. I'm watching what is happening with much interest - firstly, if it gets anything other than an A1 or A2 rating, I am not proceeding with the purchase. Secondly, more and more media traction and larger numbers of people affected have me interested in whether the govt will be pressured into stepping in to resolve the issues surrounding the EWS1 form by creating their own fire risk assessment process - not sure, but I am sure the current process will undergo much change, eventually. Easier to be a renter right now on the flat side of things!

NameUnavailable

It's not just the EWS1 stuff, now they're putting through legislation to enforce other fire safety measures on blocks of flats - upgrades to stuff like fire doors, smoke alarms and sprinkler systems and for larger blocks a full time fire safety manager. Massive additional charges to be paid by the unluckly leaseholders and the resulting impact on value and saleability of the affected properties.

annetheman

NameUnavailable said:

It's not just the EWS1 stuff, now they're putting through legislation to enforce other fire safety measures on blocks of flats - upgrades to stuff like fire doors, smoke alarms and sprinkler systems and for larger blocks a full time fire safety manager. Massive additional charges to be paid by the unluckly leaseholders and the resulting impact on value and saleability of the affected properties.

Yes and if the Building Safety Bill is passed as-is, these will all fall under the Building Safety Charge payable within 28 days by leaseholders. So the delay is giving me time to sit and watch and wait for the outcome of that.

BSC is an appalling way MHCLG is trying to legitimise making the innocent pay for historical wrongdoings of others. The building I'd like to buy in has centralised alarms, 'modern' fire doors and sprinklers in corridors, being built as recently as it was - but I'm interested to see what managing agents put under the BSC *if* it the Bill passes as written now.

It wouldn't be the first time the govt changes the goal posts on fire safety - and when they do it will be leaseholders paying for the historic failings by law.

Davarry

The management company has provided us with two EWS1 forms for the same building, completed by different consultants. One is rated A1, the other B2.

Presumably I can pick and choose?