EWS1 Requirements

[Richlist]

Has anyone else had experience of EWS1 requirements ? Apparently there are 10's of thousands of affected home owners around the country. So this is really a heads up as it's been quite a shock for me recently. It's something that's developed from the Grenfell disaster.

Any property with cladding is likely to need an EWS1 certificate (External Wall Safety) in order to sell. Mortgage lenders won't lend without the certificate. If there isn't a certificate leaseholders cannot arrange one. It can only be arranged by the freeholders or the managing agents. It's very, very expensive and there are a limited number of surveyors qualified to carry out this specialised survey, so many properties don't have one rendering them virtually unsaleable.

Initially it affected only properties over 18 meters high but was quickly extended to cover all properties.

My agents told me recently that a flat had just come on the market with them. Normally it would sell for around £185K but the owner was asking £140K for cash buyer.......no EWS1 certificate.

[Melboy]

In view of recent events RL it does not surprise that this certification has been brought in.  Everyone covering their backs I guess but the Freeholders should be the ones who has to have the certificates in place and made available to leaseholders but there again the cost will be passed onto the leaseholder in the long and short term I would imagine.

[Richlist]

As you can imagine, there are many blocks of flats, some built quite recently which have the wrong kind of cladding so they will never get an EWS1 certificate. Therefore, there is no point in paying many £000's for a specialised survey to tell you what you already know or suspect and which will never be accepted by mortgage lenders anyway.

My heart goes out to those leaseholders who are 'stuck' in properties that they want or need to move from but cant. Hopefully action will be taken in the next couple of years that will help to resolve the issues.

I was very nearly caught up in all of this but feel very fortunate that I was able to find an escape route.

[Grampa]

So does this also effect houses that have had cladding. Around my area it is very common for houses to be cladded in a wood /grain effect cladding in various colours.  I'm unsure what the material is made of though. 

[Richlist]

Yes it applies to all properties now. As far as I know only those with no external cladding will escape scrutiny.

Properties with minimal cladding and an appropriate fire safety report/ certificate may be acceptable to lenders. But......as there are lots of people on this forum who are property investors, I'm just giving you a heads up that if you are persuing the purchase of a property that has cladding.....do check very early in the process that the property has an acceptable fire safety document.

There are some anomolies.......I did read of a block of flats that looked like it was brick built from the outside. It did in fact have a thin outer skin of brick covering the cladding on the outside. So, what looks as something without cladding is just there to trick you. BEWARE.

I guess if the buyers solicitor doesn't ask you if the property was originally built with or currently has cladding.......you aren't going to volunteer the answer. 

[Richlist]

The media are reporting a slight relaxation of rules & restrictions have been agreed between the Gov' & mortgage lenders for properties under 18 metres high.