Ordinary FRA
Considers relevant fire risks and precautions for the premises, including available external-wall information where within scope.
External-wall valuation process
EWS1 forms explained
An EWS1 records an external-wall review for valuation purposes. It covers one building or block, is not a legal requirement or life-safety certificate, and must not be confused with the underlying PAS 9980 appraisal or the whole-building fire risk assessment.
External-wall evidence route
FRA, FRAEW, PAS 9980 and EWS1 answer different questions
Start with the purpose of the evidence. A valuation form, specialist risk appraisal and whole-building fire risk assessment are connected, but one does not automatically replace another.
PAS 9980 / FRAEW
A specialist appraisal of external-wall fire-spread risk that can inform the whole-building FRA and risk management.
EWS1 form
A valuation and lending process for a specific building; it is not a fire-safety certificate or general legal compliance form.
Remediation evidence
Design, approvals, installation, inspection, commissioning and completion records used to demonstrate what changed.
Scope note: The necessary route depends on the building, the known concern and who needs the evidence. Obtain appropriately competent advice before commissioning intrusive or specialist work.
Purpose
What is an EWS1 form?
The External Wall System 1 form was developed by RICS, UK Finance and the Building Societies Association to support valuers and mortgage lenders considering flats in buildings with possible external-wall risk. The building owner or client appoints a suitable expert, who investigates the wall and signs one option.
The form covers the external wall and attachments such as balconies for one building or block. It is not commissioned separately for every flat, does not certify the whole building and does not establish compliance with every fire-safety duty.
Lender decisions
Does your building need an EWS1?
There is no universal statutory height trigger. A lender or valuer decides whether it needs external-wall assurance for a particular transaction, using its policy, RICS guidance and the information available about the building.
A leaseholder should first ask the freeholder or managing agent whether the block already has a current form and supporting report. Commissioning a duplicate form can add cost without solving questions about reliance, signatory validity or remediation.
- Ask the lender or valuer what evidence is required
- Check whether the exact block already has a form
- Confirm the form date, edition, address and signatory
- Ask whether significant wall works have occurred since it was signed
- Obtain the underlying report through the building owner where appropriate
Options A and B
What do A1, A2, A3, B1 and B2 mean?
Option A applies where primary external-wall materials are unlikely to support combustion. Option B applies where combustible material is present and a higher level of fire-risk expertise is required. The sub-option records the conclusion; it is not a simple building-quality grade.
| Rating | Meaning on the RICS form |
|---|---|
| A1 | Primary wall materials meet the stated limited-combustibility criteria and there are no attachments with significant combustible material. |
| A2 | Attachments include relevant combustible material, but an appropriate risk assessment concludes no remedial work is required. |
| A3 | Neither A1 nor A2 applies and there may be potential remediation costs for attachments. |
| B1 | Combustible materials are present, but the assessed fire risk is sufficiently low that remediation is not required. |
| B2 | The assessed fire risk is sufficiently high that remediation is required. |
Underlying evidence
How EWS1 relates to PAS 9980 and the FRA
The RICS form directs the external-wall investigation and fire-risk judgement to PAS 9980. The resulting fire risk appraisal of external walls—FRAEW—is the substantive technical work. The one-page EWS1 communicates a valuation-facing conclusion.
A FRAEW should inform the responsible person’s wider FRA. An EWS1 alone cannot show that means of escape, alarms, compartmentation, doors, management and other fire precautions are suitable.
EWS1
A summary form used in valuation and lending.
FRAEW
The specialist external-wall fire risk appraisal supporting the conclusion.
Whole-building FRA
The broader legal assessment of fire risk and general fire precautions.
Remediation plan
The designed and controlled work responding to identified defects or risk.
Due diligence
Validity, changes and competent signatories
RICS states that an EWS1 normally applies to the whole block for up to five years. A new assessment may be needed sooner where significant changes to the external wall or attachments affect the original conclusion. Forms older than five years or signed by a person who did not meet the required criteria may not be accepted by a lender.
Option B requires a higher level of expertise than Option A. Check professional membership, competence, insurance, the exact block address, form integrity and the supporting report. A copied PDF without a reliable evidence trail should not be treated as assurance.
- Verify the form against the exact building or block
- Check signature date and any revision history
- Check the signatory against the stated professional body
- Confirm the underlying PAS 9980 work and limitations
- Ask the lender whether it will accept and rely on the form
Current remediation evidence
Track national and local cladding progress
Use the June 2026 MHCLG tracker for programme totals, regional comparisons and permanent local-authority profiles. The data is aggregate management information and does not establish the position of an individual building.
See the whole framework
Fire-safety law works as a connected system
Return to the regulations hub to compare legislation, height thresholds and voluntary standards before deciding what applies to your building.
Frequently asked questions
EWS1 forms FAQs
Is an EWS1 legally required?
No. It is a valuation and lending process, not a statutory certificate. A lender or valuer may nevertheless require it for a transaction.
Does every flat need its own EWS1?
No. In England and Wales, one form normally covers the whole building or block for the stated period.
How long is an EWS1 valid?
RICS states that it is valid for up to five years, but significant changes to the external wall or attachments can require earlier reassessment.
Does B1 mean the wall contains no combustible material?
No. Option B is used where combustible materials are present. B1 records the expert’s conclusion that the assessed fire risk is sufficiently low that remediation is not required.
Is EWS1 the same as PAS 9980?
No. PAS 9980 is the methodology for the substantive FRAEW. EWS1 is a short valuation-facing form reflecting the external-wall conclusion.
Premises-specific support
Ask what applies to your building
Tell us about the premises and the compliance question that prompted your enquiry. Your details can be reviewed and passed to a suitable fire-safety provider serving London or Surrey.
Read the London FRA guideRead Surrey fire risk assessment guidance
- No obligation to book
- Telephone number required
- Give the building height or storeys if relevant
Primary sources
Check the source, not only the summary
This independent guide provides general information, not legal advice or a building-specific assessment. Standards can be copyrighted and should be obtained from their publisher; this page summarises their purpose without reproducing them.
Related law and standards