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EWS1 forms: information for Curo leaseholders & shared owners

If you’re a shared owner or you own a leasehold flat in a block, you might be asked to provide an 'EWS1' form if you remortgage or sell your home. The requirements for landlords to provide these forms have changed several times and sometimes leaseholders are asked for an EWS1 form even if it’s no longer required. This can cause difficulties and delays and we appreciate this can be frustrating.

This page sets out when Curo will provide an EWS1 form, what to do if you’re being asked to provide a form that isn’t needed, and how else we can help. 

What is an EWS1 form?

The EWS1 (‘external wall system’) form was introduced by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) as a way to provide the information and confidence lenders need to offer mortgages on homes where cladding is present in a building.

The EWS1 form shows that an assessment has been carried out to check whether a building might need remedial work because it has cladding. The form lasts five years and applies to a building or block, so it covers all the flats within.

When will Curo provide an EWS1 form?

RICS guidance is clear about when an EWS1 form is needed. If your home is in a building that meets the decision tree criteria set out in the RICs document Valuation of properties in multi-storey, multi-occupancy residential buildings with cladding (appendix B) we will provide an EWS1 form.

You can download a copy of the document from the RICS website.

Does Curo already have an EWS1 form for my block?

There is a national shortage of suitably qualified professionals able to supply EWS1 forms. It’s therefore important that you contact us as early as possible to check whether an EWS1 form is needed and to allow enough time for one to be provided if it is necessary.

My home doesn’t need an EWS1 form according to these RICS criteria – what should I do?

Curo will not provide an EWS1 form if it’s not required by RICS (see RICS criteria above). Any valuer or lender following the RICS guidance should not request an EWS1 form in these circumstances.

If a lender, valuer or any other party needs us to confirm that the building does not meet the RICS criteria (for example to prove that it does not have panels made of ACM, HPL MCM) we may be able to provide this. Please ask us for this information as soon as you can.

What should I do if a party insists on an ESW1 form?

If a lender, valuer or other third party insists on an EWS1 form, despite it not being required:

  • First, we advise that you ask them to explain their rationale for requiring one. This is because the RICS guidance requires them to record their reasons for this.
  • We can speak directly to the lender or valuer if this could help to assure them that the building does not need an EWS1 form. This may reduce delays and help us to understand what technical information they might need about the building.
  • Finally, there may be no other option but to explore an alternative lender who does follow the RICS guidance, although we appreciate this will be outside of your control if you are selling your home.

Are building owners legally required to provide EWS1 forms?

No. Providing EWS1 forms is discretionary and there’s no statutory requirement for landlords to carry out these assessments or to provide the form to leaseholders. Curo will of course provide EWS1 forms where the RICS guidance states that they are needed.

Some Curo leaseholders will have homes in blocks where Curo is not the owner of the building. In these cases we will liaise with the building owner to help you get an EWS1 form, but ultimately this will be outside of our control.

Who pays for EWS1 forms?

We will assess this on a case by case basis.

Can I arrange my own EWS1 form?

An EWS1 assessment can only be instructed by the legal owner of a building, or its managing agent if there is one.

How long is an EWS1 form valid for?

An EWS1 form lasts for five years.

If Curo doesn’t provide an EWS1 form, how is the building’s safety assessed?

An EWS1 form isn’t a safety check and isn’t a substitute for a fire risk assessment. We commission regular, independent fire risk assessments for all our buildings and blocks. These happen regardless of whether the building has or needs an EWS1 form.

Where can I get more information?