THE EWS1

7th March 2025 by Technical Director 0 Comments

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The External Wall System form (EWS1) was first introduced in December 2019 by the RICS. The primary objective of EWS1 was to provide a simplified rating system for mortgage lenders for residential buildings over 18 meters. This provided a reliable platform for mortgage lenders to lend on.

The EWS1 form is often required when selling or mortgaging a flat in a building over 18 metres to provide assurance to potential buyers and mortgage lenders that the building’s external wall system, including cladding, and specified attachments such as balconies has been assessed for fire safety.

You might need an EWS1 form because:

Mortgage Lender Requires it: Most mortgage lenders need an EWS1 form before they will approve a mortgage on a property.
Assurance to Buyers: Potential buyers will consider the EWS1 rating to evaluate whether they want to purchase the property.
Valuation: Valuers may consider the EWS1 form in the valuation of the property.

If you’re unsure whether you need an EWS1 form, it’s a good idea to consult with your solicitor or an appropriately qualified surveyor.

The requirement for an EWS1 form can be determined via the height of the building (over 18 metres), the type of cladding and other risk factors. When first introduced, EWS1 forms were produced on the basis of the government’s 2020 Consolidated Advice Note (CAN) on building safety.

PAS 9980:2022 is a Publicly Available Specification, which was first introduced in January 2022. PAS9980 provides a code of practice for appraising (assessing) the fire risk of external wall construction, cladding and specified attachments on existing blocks of flats. PAS9980 was developed to provide a more proportionate approach to the evaluation of the risk of fire spread on external walls of residential buildings, replacing the UK government’s 2020 Consolidated Advice Note (CAN) on building safety.

The outcome of an appraisal carried out in accordance with the PAS99800 specification by a competent person is called a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW). You can learn more about What is a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW)? – Blazeboard.

PAS9980 provides a standardized methodology for appraising the fire risk of external wall construction and cladding on existing blocks of flats and provides a structured methodology for arriving at the rating system set out in EWS1. Here are the key points:

PAS 9980 provides a systematic approach: For assessing the fire risk in the external wall systems. This includes evaluating different cladding types, insulation materials, specified attachments (such as balconies) and other elements of the exterior of the building.
Guidance for Competent Professionals: PAS9980 provides comprehensive guidance which can be followed by competent Fire Engineers and building professionals to conduct an FRAEW. The methodology involves inspecting all of the evidence which can be gathered visually, in existing documentation and if necessary, via intrusive investigations.
Specification of Remedial Works: Based on the findings of the assessment, PAS 9980 helps in determining the necessary remedial works to address identified risks of the spread of fire. This provides the information necessary to implement appropriate interventions.
Risk-Based Approach: PAS 9980 advocates a risk-based approach, which considers factors such as the height of the building, the type of occupancy, facilities for the fire and rescue service and the properties of the external wall system. This risk-based approach is conducted by assessing each relevant factor and determining whether it is a positive, negative or neutral factor.
Support for Decision-Making: PAS9980 facilitates decision-making by property owners, managers, residents and regulators by providing a clear framework for understanding and mitigating the risk of fire spread due to the external wall systems.

The intention of PAS 9980 was to provide a structured, balanced and proportionate approach to the evaluation of fire spread on the external walls. The outcome of an FRAEW conducted in accordance with PAS 9980 should be considered as a relevant factor in the buildings overall Fire Risk Assessment.

Can my EWS1 rating change as a result of an FRAEW?

Yes, the outcome of a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls (FRAEW) can provide a different outcome from previous EWS1 forms or FRAEW. New information or evidence of remedial works carried out, changes in risk profile, or occupancy can instigate a re-assessment which may provide a different outcome which can be higher or lower than the previous rating. If new information comes to light that may affect the risk appraisal of the external wall, an FRAEW should be reviewed and if necessary updated. One of the simplest ways to reduce the risk of external fire spread is to change the decking on balconies from a combustible material such as timber or plastic composites is to change to an A1 rated mineral composite such as Luxura mineral composite decking.

Why do I need an FRAEW now, when I didn’t have one before?

There are a number of reasons why there is currently a significant demand for FRAEWs to be carried out to PAS9980. The first EWS1 forms were completed approximately 5 years ago, and as above, these would have been carried out prior to the existence of PAS9980. EWS1s expire after 5 years, and so many properties which had their EWS1s carried out in 2020 will now be required to have an FRAEW carried out in accordance with PAS9980 for the first time in 2025.

What is the easiest way to improve the result of an FRAEW?

All buildings are different and the FRAEW, if carried out in accordance with PAS9980 will include recommendations about the appropriate interventions. If your balcony is made of combustible materials, changing these to an A1 rated product such as Blazeboard Luxura will reduce the risk of exterior fire spread, which could be one of the easiest ways to make a difference to the FRAEW. It is important to consider that there may be other significant hazards identified in the FRAEW and so it is necessary to consider these fully. If you are not fully clear on what the outcome of the FRAEW means, the Accountable Person for your building should communicate with you and provide explanation.

How much does an FRAEW cost?

The cost of an FRAEW can vary significantly depending on a number of factors including:

Does the Fire Engineer have information about the building already, or is it being reviewed for the first time.
How well structured is the Golden Thread for the building, or is some of the information missing or in paper format only.
Are there good quality records in the Golden Thread from the time of construction which evidence the construction of the building and especially the external walls. These could include quality records and photographs.
Are intrusive surveys needed? If intrusive surveys are needed, there is a cost associated with specifying these, supervising the works, carrying them out and interpreting the results.
The size of the building (larger buildings will have more information that needs to be reviewed), but also larger buildings have more occupants and so the cost is spread between more people.
The complexity of the building. Buildings with numerous different cladding types, and occupation types (such as residential, carparks, retail, etc) and complex shapes, will take longer to evaluate. It is also necessary to assess not only what each cladding type is, but how they may interact with each other in the configuration in which they are installed in each case.
The location and occupancy type can affect the duration and cost of the assessment. For example high security buildings with high degrees of segregation can take longer to evaluate due to the time taken to access all of the necessary areas.

The lowest cost FRAEW for the simplest buildings where all necessary information is in place can be around £8000, whereas for complex buildings with intrusive works and complex assessments necessary could cost £55000 or more.

How long does an FRAEW take?

This depends on the complexity of the building, the assessment and the quality and completeness of the information. The shortest FRAEW for the simplest buildings with fully complete information may take around 7-10 days, however an assessment requiring more detailed evidence gathering and evaluation could take a month or more. It is important to consider that in addition to this time, it may be necessary to allow time for: