The introduction of the Fire Safety Act 2021 has brought new responsibilities for building owners in England, specifically for those managing multi-storey, multi-occupied buildings. This includes updated fire risk appraisals and assessments, which now incorporate evaluations of external wall systems where necessary.

Key to these changes is the EWS1 (External Wall System) assessment, which plays an important role ensuring fire safety and supporting property sales. Here is what building owners and sellers need to know:

1. New Standards for Assessments: The RICS now requires that external wall assessments previously conducted under the Consolidated Advice Note (CAN) must be updated to align with PAS 9980, the new standard for assessing fire risks in external wall systems.
2. Regular Updates Needed: EWS1 assessments are required every five years to reflect any changes, such as renovations or maintenance, ensuring the fire safety assessment stays accurate.
3. Fire Safety Act 2021 Impact: With the Fire Safety Act now in force, building owners of multi-storey, multi-occupied buildings in England must conduct updated fire risk assessments, including a review of the external wall systems where needed.

These updates are designed to improve transparency and safety in the wake of heightened fire safety standards. Building owners are encouraged to act promptly to meet the requirements and ensure compliance. For further information on EWS1 assessments and fire safety regulations, contact your fire safety consultant.

Mike Fox, Managing Director of MAF Associates commented:

“The RICS guidance is a welcome development as it clearly outlines the principles regarding the expiration of the EWS1 form after five years. The transition from the Consolidated Advice Note to PAS9980 introduces a significantly different inspection and assessment methodology, which necessitated clarity for the fire professionals responsible for completing these forms. While we now have that clarity, the requirement to update risk assessments to align with PAS9980 is understandably distressing for many leaseholders, who will now incur additional costs for a further assessment. Compounding this concern is the recent news of numerous EWS1 forms being issued with incorrect ratings, which has led to increased criticism of the fire safety industry as a whole.”