Buying a flat - leasehold and other things

VXman

mrsaver11 said:

It bears repeating even if NameUnavailable already mentioned this: DO NOT GET A FLAT WITHOUT A VALID EWS1 FORM. What happened with Grenfell means that for better or worse, it's required now.

Your lender may refuse to give you a mortgage, or worse, you will be able to buy it, but the flat becomes a ticking timebomb that you will have difficulty selling or remortgaging in a few years.  EWS1 certification may take some time and expense to get done, so you really want to know that you have one available even before seriously thinking of pulling the trigger on your purchase.

I'm saying this so that you avoid the faff I'm going through right now. I'm a FTB who wasn't aware that EWS1 is required now, and both me and the seller are very stressed out due to how this has been blocking the purchase process.

No need for certificate unclad buildings. Government clarified rules on 21st November
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-steps-in-to-help-homeowners-caught-up-in-ews1-process

bouicca21

This may be a stupid question, it comes from genuine ignorance. How do you know if a building has cladding?  My block looks brick built and past repairs have demonstrated that it is brick built.  Next door there is a far more modern building that looks brick built but  it is actually timber framed with brick cladding (I watched it being built).

how is anyone to know the difference?

davidmcn

bouicca21 said:

This may be a stupid question, it comes from genuine ignorance. How do you know if a building has cladding?  My block looks brick built and past repairs have demonstrated that it is brick built.  Next door there is a far more modern building that looks brick built but  it is actually timber framed with brick cladding (I watched it being built).

how is anyone to know the difference?

You don't need to know. The surveyors will know. If it's a property you already own, you'll (I presume) have past surveys disclosing the method of construction. And unless it's ancient, building control will have details from the time of its construction.