EWS1 downgraded?

cinek

hopefully this is the right place for this. Our development was issued an A1 rating on the EWS1 form back in March of this year other than 1 building which received B1. To our surprise the rating has been changed as of this month for all buildings within the development to B1. The new EWS1 form was issued by a different company but the same engineer. I can't find anything on any rules changing between March and now and from what I understand the EWS1 forms are valid for 5 years. Am I missing something or does this seem fishy? I've contacted the management company but can't seem to get any answers. All letters they send out are very generic and don't even mention what the issue is. I spoke to the development manager who had no idea why this has happened.

annetheman

cinek said:

hopefully this is the right place for this. Our development was issued an A1 rating on the EWS1 form back in March of this year other than 1 building which received B1. To our surprise the rating has been changed as of this month for all buildings within the development to B1. The new EWS1 form was issued by a different company but the same engineer. I can't find anything on any rules changing between March and now and from what I understand the EWS1 forms are valid for 5 years. Am I missing something or does this seem fishy? I've contacted the management company but can't seem to get any answers. All letters they send out are very generic and don't even mention what the issue is. I spoke to the development manager who had no idea why this has happened.

I could be wrong but my suspicion is that the engineer is now with a company whose professional indemnity insurance provider has advised lowering the rating to B1, where they may be able to wriggle out of liability by saying there was *some* risk identified, should the worst happen. A1 means there is no risk i.e. all external wall system components do not promote the spread of fire at all - which, due to systemic building regulation failures over the past few decades, is very unlikely. Even if the buildings DID really achieve that rating, insurers have been warning those signing off forms to either avoid sign off entirely or give cautionary ratings wherever possible.

https://www.building.co.uk/comment/sign-the-ews1-form-at-your-peril/5108132.article