RICS highlights the importance of expertise required to sign off EWS1 forms

RICS has been made aware that unqualified people may be signing off EWS1 forms, something which we strongly condemn.

The EWS1 form is a set way for a building owner to confirm to valuers and lenders that an external cladding system on residential buildings, has been assessed by a suitable expert, in line with the latest Government advice.

The EWS1 form must be completed by a fully qualified member of a relevant professional body within the construction industry with sufficient expertise to identify the relevant materials within the external wall cladding and attachments, including whether fire resisting cavity barriers and fire stopping have been installed correctly.

A list of suggested bodies to contact to source fire experts and information about the full competences required can be found here.

UK banks and building societies have robust measures in place to protect people against fraud, which would pick up any EWS1 form that is suspicious, but we encourage everyone to check the signatory on a form with the profession’s institution. If an RICS member is completing your EWS1 form, you can check their membership with us on our website.

RICS, UK Finance and BSA do not approve individual persons who can deliver the EWS1 and cannot advise on who can and cannot complete the EWS1 form/ process. However, we would anticipate only qualified chartered members of the relevant professional bodies such as IFE and RICS will have the necessary self-assessed competence and professional indemnity insurance to carry out this work.

A list of successful RICS EWS Training course completers competent to carry out assessments on low and medium risk residential buildings up to 18m/6-storeys can be found here