<p>The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has issued clarified guidance on the properties exempt from EWS1 forms for further investigation of cladding, in a bid to “unlock the market”. </p> <p>RICS said that its new document - <em><span>Valuation of properties in multi-storey, multi-occupancy residential buildings with cladding – </span></em>clarified the types of properties <i>“</i>which will, and those which will not, require additional inspections, as a result of concerns about fire safety”. This should, it said, reduce the number of requests made by valuers for this assessment of external walls.</p> <p>The guidance “makes clear” that where a valuer or lender can determine that the building owner has met the advice in the consolidated note, an EWS1 form should not be necessary. The form will also not be required for a building of more than 18 metres with a valid building control certificate in place.</p><p>In examples of the criteria for an EWS1 form, the assessment will be needed for buildings of more than six storeys if the building has cladding or curtain wall glazing. And for buildings of five or six storeys, those featuring ACM (aluminium composite material), MCM (metal composite materials) or HPL (high pressure laminate) cladding, the form applies.</p> …