★ EWS1 & cladding mortgage specialists ★ B1 & B2 rating mortgage options ★ Complex property expertise ★ Whole-of-market advice
Flats Without
EWS1 Mortgages
Drummonds Finance Group
No EWS1 form, an expired one, or a building still waiting for cladding work? You can often still get a mortgage. Since the April 2025 updated industry statement, many lenders accept other evidence about a building's safety, and we know which ones will look at your flat. We help buyers, homeowners and landlords with cladding-affected flats across the UK.
At Drummonds Finance Group, we compare mortgage options from across the market to find lenders that are comfortable with properties affected by EWS1 requirements, cladding, building safety concerns and individual circumstances.
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Can you get a mortgage without an EWS1 form?
Often, yes. Lenders have moved a long way since EWS1 forms were introduced. Most now decide case by case, based on the building's height, what it is made of, and whether any problems are being fixed through a recognised scheme.
In practice, you are likely to get a mortgage without an EWS1 when the building has no cladding or balconies of concern and the valuer is satisfied, or when the building is under the height at which most lenders ask for one, or when the building is in a government remediation scheme or covered by a developer's remediation contract. You are also more likely to succeed when the freeholder can provide a Fire Risk Appraisal of the External Wall (FRAEW) or a Leaseholder Deed of Certificate.
The hardest cases are buildings over 18 metres with known unsafe cladding, no funding in place and no completion date for the works. Even then, a small number of lenders may consider it, usually with a larger deposit.
Why Choose Drummonds for EWS1 & Cladding Mortgages
✅Whole-of-Market Access
We compare mortgage options from across the market, including specialist lenders that may be more flexible with adverse credit.
✅EWS1 & Cladding Expertise
We understand the problems that EWS1 forms, cladding and building safety concerns can cause when buying or remortgaging a flat.
✅Personal Support From Start to Finish
We can review the property and available documentation before approaching lenders, helping reduce wasted applications and guiding you throughout the mortgage process.
✅Help With B1, B2 & Complex Cases
Whether you have a B1 or B2 rating, no EWS1 form, ongoing remediation works or a previous mortgage decline, we can explore the options available.
Specialist Mortgages
Not every mortgage fits a lender's computer model. Much of our work at Drummonds Finance Group is with clients who have been turned down elsewhere or told their case is too complicated. We work with clients across the UK by phone and video, and we know which lenders will look at each situation properly.
What is an EWS1 form?
An EWS1 form, or External Wall System form, is a one-page assessment of the outside walls of a block of flats, including any cladding and balconies. It was created in 2019 by RICS, UK Finance and the Building Societies Association so that valuers and lenders could judge whether a flat is acceptable security for a mortgage.
It is a valuation tool, not a fire safety certificate. A qualified fire engineer or suitably qualified professional signs it, and it covers the whole building rather than an individual flat.
What changed for lenders in April 2025?
In April 2025, UK Finance and the Building Societies Association published an updated industry statement on EWS1 forms, backed by major lenders including Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group, Nationwide, NatWest, Santander, Skipton, TSB and Virgin Money.
It made three important changes. First, lenders pledged not to demand new assessments just because an EWS1 form is more than five years old. Second, where a form was signed by someone later found not to be qualified, lenders pledged not to reject every affected building, subject to their own risk appetite. Third, lenders were encouraged to accept other evidence of a building's status, such as membership of a remediation funding scheme, an FRAEW, or a valid Leaseholder Deed of Certificate.
This built on the original July 2022 industry statement, in which lenders agreed to lend on buildings covered by government remediation schemes or developer commitments.
Does a building under 18 metres need an EWS1?
Usually not. Government advice has long been that EWS1 checks should not be needed for most buildings under 18 metres, and RICS guidance for valuers, in place since January 2023, asks valuers to take a risk-based approach rather than asking for an EWS1 by default.
Under that guidance, a valuer will normally only ask for an EWS1 on a building of 11 metres or more, roughly five storeys, where there is evidence of cladding, combustible balconies or other concerns, and where the building is not already covered by a remediation scheme. Below 11 metres, an EWS1 should rarely be needed.
Individual lenders can still set their own rules, so a valuer or lender may occasionally ask for one on a lower building. When that happens, we look for a lender that applies the guidance as intended.
What if your EWS1 is more than five years old?
EWS1 forms have no formal expiry date, but many lenders used to treat them as valid for five years. Following the April 2025 updated statement, the major signatory lenders agreed not to require wholesale re-assessments just because a form has passed the five-year point.
An older form can still be used, subject to the lender's own policy. Some lenders also ask for supporting evidence, such as confirmation that nothing about the external walls has changed.
What is the difference between an EWS1 and an FRAEW?
An FRAEW, or Fire Risk Appraisal of the External Wall, is a fuller fire risk assessment of a building's outside walls, carried out to the PAS 9980 standard. It is commissioned by the building owner to decide what, if any, remedial work is needed.
An EWS1 is a simpler form for valuers and lenders. Many lenders will now accept an FRAEW in place of an EWS1, especially if it concludes that the risk is low or that works are planned and funded.
Are leaseholders protected from cladding costs?
In England, the Building Safety Act 2022 protects many leaseholders in buildings of at least 11 metres or five storeys from paying for the removal of unsafe cladding, and limits what they can be charged for other historical safety defects. These protections apply to qualifying leases.
The key document is the Leaseholder Deed of Certificate, which sets out whether your lease qualifies for protection. Lenders increasingly ask for it because it shows they will not be lending against a flat that could face large remediation bills. The Leasehold Advisory Service explains the protections in more detail.
Scotland and Wales run their own building safety programmes, so the rules there are different.
How is cladding being fixed and by when?
The government's Remediation Acceleration Plan, published in December 2024, sets a target that by the end of 2029 every high-rise building over 18 metres with unsafe cladding in a government-funded scheme will have been fixed, and every building over 11 metres with unsafe cladding will either have been fixed or have a date for completion.
For lenders, a building that is in a recognised scheme, such as the Building Safety Fund, the Cladding Safety Scheme or a developer remediation contract, is far easier to lend on than one with no plan in place.
Can you remortgage without an EWS1?
Yes, and often more easily than you might think. A product transfer with your current lender usually needs no new valuation, so the EWS1 question normally does not arise. That makes it the simplest option for many owners in affected buildings.
If you want to borrow more or move to a new lender, a remortgage involves a new valuation, so the building's status matters again. We check which lenders will accept your building before you apply.
Can you sell a flat without an EWS1?
Yes, but your buyer will usually need a mortgage, so their lender's view of the building affects your sale. Having the building safety information ready, including any EWS1, FRAEW, remediation scheme details and the Leaseholder Deed of Certificate, makes the sale much smoother.
If you are selling to buy elsewhere, our moving home page covers how to time the two transactions.
How long does an EWS1 take and what does it cost?
It depends on the building and on demand for qualified assessors, but it can take several months. The freeholder or managing agent arranges it, and the cost is usually spread across leaseholders through the service charge unless a remediation scheme or developer covers it.
Costs vary widely with the size and complexity of the building, from a few thousand pounds for a simple block to considerably more for a large or complex one.
EWS1 and cladding mortgages for different buyers
First-time buyers. Many new-build and converted flats are affected, and it is one of the most common reasons a first purchase stalls at valuation. Our first-time buyer mortgages page covers the wider process.
Shared ownership. Many shared ownership flats are in medium and high-rise blocks. The building's status affects both your lender and the housing provider; see our shared ownership mortgages page.
Landlords. Some buy-to-let lenders take a stricter view than residential lenders, and leases owned by landlords with several properties may not qualify for the same Building Safety Act protections. We check both before you apply.
Other hard-to-mortgage properties. If your flat also has other issues, such as being above a commercial unit, see our pages on flats above shops and unmortgageable property.
How a broker helps with cladding and EWS1 cases
Lender rules on cladding are detailed, change often and are rarely published in full. Applying to the wrong lender can mean paying for a valuation, getting a down-valuation or a decline, and losing weeks.
We collect the building's safety information first, then match it to lenders whose criteria fit. That includes lenders that accept older EWS1 forms, FRAEWs, remediation scheme evidence or the Leaseholder Deed of Certificate, and lenders that apply the height guidance as intended.
How the process works
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We talk through your purchase or remortgage and collect the building's safety documents.
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We check the building's height, construction, remediation status and lease protections.
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We identify lenders likely to accept the building before any valuation is paid for.
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We get a mortgage in principle and submit your full application with the building information.
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We manage the valuation, the lender, the managing agent and your solicitor through to completion.
Frequently asked questions
Author
Written by Liam Drummond CII (MP), owner and named mortgage broker at Drummonds Finance Group. Member of the Personal Finance Society, the Society of Mortgage Professionals and the Chartered Insurance Institute.
On this page we have explained what an EWS1 form is and what its ratings mean, when lenders still ask for one, and what changed in the April 2025 industry statement. We have covered building heights, older EWS1 forms, the difference between an EWS1 and an FRAEW, leaseholder protections, remediation timescales, remortgaging and selling, and how we help you find a lender that will accept your building.