At AF Credit, we specialise in helping buyers purchase properties that mainstream lenders struggle to finance — including flats without EWS1 certificates, cladding-affected properties, high-rise apartments, short lease flats and other mortgage-restricted assets.
Sometimes. Whether EWS1 documentation is required depends on the building's height, external wall construction, the lender's policy and the surveyor's assessment. Many buildings do not need an EWS1 form at all. Where a lender declines because the certificate is unavailable, bridging finance can often complete the purchase while the assessment is arranged and the property refinanced.
What Is an EWS1 Certificate?
EWS1 stands for External Wall System Form. The form was introduced following concerns about external wall systems and fire safety in residential buildings — particularly in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy and subsequent changes to insurer requirements and lender policy. An EWS1 assessment is completed by a suitably qualified professional and provides lenders with information about the fire risk associated with a building's external wall construction — including cladding materials, insulation and balcony construction.
Does Every Flat Need an EWS1 Certificate?
No — and this is one of the most widespread misconceptions about EWS1. Many buildings do not require an EWS1 assessment. Whether one is needed depends on building height, the presence and type of cladding, balcony construction, the materials used in external wall systems and the individual lender's policy. The absence of an EWS1 certificate does not automatically indicate a building has fire safety issues.
- Buildings below 18 metres (subject to lender policy)
- Buildings with no cladding, balconies or external insulation
- Buildings where the external wall is brick or render only
- Buildings already assessed and given a clear EWS1 rating
- Buildings over 18 metres with cladding
- Buildings with combustible external insulation
- Buildings with balconies incorporating combustible materials
- Buildings where the surveyor or lender specifically requests one
Why Do Lenders Decline Flats Without EWS1?
Lenders use the property as security for their loan. Where fire safety information is absent or incomplete, concerns arise about future remediation costs, building marketability, insurance availability and long-term value. Many lenders introduced EWS1 requirements because without the form they cannot adequately assess the fire safety risk of the building — and the potential cost of cladding remediation can significantly affect the property's value as security.
Why Might an EWS1 Certificate Be Missing?
Some buildings are still awaiting their EWS1 assessment. The process requires a suitably qualified professional and has faced significant delays across the industry.
Some buildings are in the middle of cladding or external wall remediation programmes. An EWS1 certificate may not be available until works are completed.
Even where an EWS1 assessment has been completed, obtaining the documentation from the freeholder or management company can take time — particularly in larger blocks with complex ownership structures.
The demand for EWS1 assessments has significantly outpaced supply of suitably qualified surveyors in some areas, causing delays even where buildings are prioritised for assessment.
What Happens in Practice
The most common scenario is that the lender's valuer flags cladding or external wall system concerns during the mortgage valuation, and the lender requests an EWS1 certificate before it will release funds. The freeholder or managing agent confirms the assessment is pending or the documentation is unavailable. The lender then delays or declines the application — often very late in the transaction, after legal costs and survey fees have already been incurred.
Where timing is critical — particularly for auction purchases or chain-sensitive transactions — bridging finance can complete the purchase and provide time for the EWS1 process to conclude before refinancing onto a conventional mortgage.
How AF Credit Can Help
AF Credit specialises in financing properties that mainstream lenders decline. We regularly assist buyers purchasing flats without EWS1 certificates, cladding-affected properties, high-rise apartments and auction properties. Where there is a realistic refinance route and clear exit strategy, we can often provide bridging finance to facilitate the purchase.
Property details including building type and height, details of the EWS1 position (whether assessment is pending, in progress or the nature of any concerns), any available fire safety or cladding information, and a clear exit strategy — typically refinancing once the EWS1 process is resolved and a lender with suitable criteria is identified.
Using Bridging Finance for Flats Without EWS1
Understand exactly what fire safety documentation exists, what the managing agent or freeholder is doing to progress the assessment, and when a certificate is likely to be available. This informs the exit timeline.
Identify the refinance route — either conventional mortgage once EWS1 is resolved, or a specialist lender that will proceed without the form. AF Credit focuses on the exit from day one.
AF Credit reviews the property, the EWS1 position and the exit strategy. We can consider residential bridging where the transaction stacks up and a credible exit exists.
The bridging loan funds the acquisition — allowing the transaction to proceed where a conventional mortgage has been declined or delayed because EWS1 documentation is unavailable.
Once the EWS1 assessment is complete and a suitable lender identified, the bridge is repaid through refinancing — leaving the buyer with a conventional mortgage in place.
Example
A buyer agrees to purchase a city-centre apartment for £275,000. The lender's valuer identifies potential cladding concerns and requests an EWS1 certificate. The managing agent confirms the building has not yet completed the EWS1 assessment process. The lender declines.
AF Credit provides bridging finance, allowing the purchase to complete.
Following completion of the EWS1 assessment — which returns a satisfactory rating — the property is refinanced onto a conventional mortgage and the bridge is repaid.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get a mortgage without an EWS1 certificate?
Sometimes. It depends on the building, the lender's requirements and the fire safety assessment. Many flats do not need an EWS1 form at all. See our unmortgageable property guide for a broader overview of certification-related mortgage issues.
Does every flat need an EWS1 certificate?
No. Many buildings do not require an EWS1 assessment. Requirements depend on height, cladding materials, balcony construction and the individual lender's policy. The absence of a certificate is not automatically a sign of fire safety problems.
Can you buy a flat without an EWS1 certificate?
Yes. The legal purchase is not restricted — the issue is obtaining mortgage finance. Cash buyers face no restriction. Where a mortgage lender declines, bridging finance can provide a route to purchase while the assessment is completed.
Why was my mortgage declined because of EWS1?
The lender is concerned about fire safety risk, potential remediation costs, building marketability or the absence of documentation it requires to assess the security. A decline from one lender does not mean all lenders will decline — lender EWS1 requirements vary.
Can I buy a flat without EWS1 at auction?
Yes. Bridging finance is commonly used where traditional mortgage funding is unavailable. Auction purchases require completion within 28 days — bridging can meet this deadline. See our auction finance guide for more detail.
Does AF Credit lend on properties without EWS1 certificates?
Yes. AF Credit specialises in financing properties that mainstream lenders decline — including flats without EWS1, cladding-affected buildings and high-rise apartments. Where there is a realistic strategy to resolve the issue and refinance, we can often consider bridging finance.
If your mortgage has been declined because a flat does not have an EWS1 certificate, or you are considering purchasing a property affected by cladding or fire safety concerns, AF Credit may be able to help. Where there is a realistic strategy to resolve the issue and refinance, we can often provide bridging finance to complete the purchase and keep the transaction moving.
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