Survey finding
EWS1 form flagged in your survey
The EWS1 form sits at the heart of the cladding crisis for flat buyers. Without the right rating, most mainstream lenders won't offer a mortgage. This page explains the rating system, who completes the form, and what to do if one is missing or rated B2.
Last updated: 6 May 2026. Editorially reviewed: 20 May 2026.
Finding
EWS1 form required
What this usually means
The EWS1 (External Wall System) form is a certificate completed by a qualified professional assessing whether a building's external wall system is safe. It was introduced after Grenfell to allow lenders to make informed decisions about flats in multi-storey buildings. A1 and A2 ratings indicate no combustible cladding; B1 is acceptable to most lenders; B2 means remediation is needed before mortgageability is restored.
Why it matters
Without an EWS1 form, or with a B2 rating, most mainstream lenders will not offer a mortgage on the flat. That makes the property very difficult to buy or sell. The requirement for EWS1 has evolved and not all buildings need one (some below 18 metres are now excluded under updated RICS guidance), so the specific building and rating both matter.
Ask your surveyor
- Check:Does this building require an EWS1 form under current RICS guidance, and if so is one in place?
- Check:What is the EWS1 rating, and have any lenders previously accepted this property with the current rating?
Ask the seller
- Check:Is there a completed EWS1 form for the building, and what is the rating?
- Check:Has a fire risk assessment been carried out for the external walls and common areas?
Next steps
- •Ask your solicitor to obtain the EWS1 form and any fire risk assessment before exchange.
- •Speak to your mortgage broker early, as the EWS1 rating directly determines which lenders will offer.
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Cladding issues , often sits near ews1 form required on a survey and is the next thing to check.
How MyPropertyScan produces this guide, and what it is not
Published by MyPropertyScan and written by Ziad Nasr, who is accountable for its accuracy. No page here is written or reviewed by a chartered surveyor, conveyancer or regulated adviser, and we do not claim otherwise.
This page is not:
- Chartered surveying — we do not inspect properties or produce RICS Home Survey reports
- Legal advice — we do not act as conveyancers or advise on title, tenure or contracts
- Mortgage or insurance advice — we are not regulated by the FCA and give no recommendations
Figures and process steps come from the published UK datasets and standards listed on this page, not from professional practice. Pages are updated when source coverage, survey cost assumptions, or lender and legal requirements materially change. Dataset limitations are set out on the methodology page.
Spotted something out of date or wrong? Email hello@mypropertyscan.com and we will correct it and change the update date.
Sources used
We use UK public and specialist sources where they are available. Public datasets can be incomplete, delayed, or missing for some addresses. Treat them as a starting point, not as a replacement for professional advice.
Source standard: preference goes to official government datasets, statutory bodies, professional standards, and primary dataset publishers. We cite the source family on the page and explain coverage limits rather than filling gaps with unsupported estimates.
- Professional standard: RICS Home Survey StandardRICS standard for condition-based residential surveys in the UK.
- Learn more from: RICS consumer guide to surveysConsumer-facing guide to survey types and when each level is appropriate.
- Official guidance: GOV.UK buying or selling your homeGovernment overview of the home buying and selling process.