Owners of flats in buildings without cladding will no longer need an EWS1 form to sell or remortgage their property, it has been confirmed.
The change comes after the Government reached an agreement with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), UK Finance and the Building Societies Association (BSA) to develop new fire safety regulations.
An EWS1 – also known as an external wall fire review process – was developed to assess the potential financial impact of cladding on high-rise flats.
However, the catch-all regulations were also being applied to other buildings without cladding, stopping some people from selling or moving home and “causing unnecessary anxiety for homeowners”.
According to the Government, reforming these regulations will clear the way for up to nearly 450,000 flat owners to sell, move, or remortgage.
Building owners will still be legally required to undertake fire risk assessments on all blocks of flats, regardless of today’s announcement.
Commenting on the changes, RICS CEO Sean Tompkins said: “We are aware of the severe impact this has had on some homeowners and we agree that buildings without cladding should not be subject to the process. We will be taking forward work with industry on this.”
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick added: “Through no fault of their own, some flat-owners have been unable to sell or re-mortgage their homes – and this cannot be allowed to continue.
“That’s why the government has secured agreement that the EWS1 form will not be needed on buildings where there is no cladding; providing certainty for the almost 450,000 homeowners who may have felt stuck in limbo. However, this is only part of a wider solution and we continue to support those homeowners who do have cladding on their buildings and where there is still more to do.”
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