Cladding tests - what lies beneath?

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Valuers are risk-rating high-rise blocks, leaving many flat owners trapped in their homes

On 5 May Mary-Anne Bowring, Ringley Group MD hosted a UKAA Webinar that looked at the thorny issue of cladding tests. In particular, she focused on EWS1 form compliance and life beyond the Hackitt Review. EWS stands for ?external wall system? and looks at the level of safety displayed by external walls on residential buildings.

Mortgage valuers are now being asked to declare if there is any cladding is present on a building and lenders will refuse to lend on the building until they are fully aware of what cladding has been used and that the certificate awarded is in accordance with their lending policy.

Valuers are now effectively risk-rating residential blocks. This is causing serious issues for flat owners whose homes are valued at zero making them unsellable while further cladding tests are carried out. Mary-Anne highlighted that the journey from applying for an EWS1 form to receiving it could take around two months.

The challenge is that over time, introducing new materials such as cladding may change the fire performance of the building, if the layers of protection offered by each material are not assessed both independently and in conjunction with each other. It is quite possible that either materials that are now known to be too dangerous to use are present, or that a sub-contractor has substituted the material specified in the design for what they believe is a suitable alternative ? thereby unknowingly compromising the safety of the building.

?Lenders used to just be conscious about ACM cladding, but they are now looking at all types of cladding that are used on the building,? Mary-Anne explains. "Now this includes HPL cladding ? and the entire wall system which means insulation, fixings, fire stopping around windows, glue, fixings and much more."

This change in emphasis comes from new government guidance issued in January. Advice for Building Owners of Multi-storey, Multi-occupied Residential Buildings sets out that it?s not just all types of cladding that must be considered but any material that will assist the spread of fire ? and regardless of the height of the building.

The guidance makes it clear that existing residential buildings that have external walls containing combustible materials may not meet an appropriate standard of safety. They could pose a significant risk to the health and safety of residents, other building users, people in the proximity of the building or firefighters; the fire brigade is now taking an active interest in what materials are being put onto these buildings.

However, as Mary-Anne explains: ?We?ve got to make sure we are not being fooled by sampling and testing only materials from lower levels. There is the possibility that these materials can change when you move higher up the building. Even before this guidance was issued, the Building Regulations have always applied more stringent requirements for stories over 18 metres?.

The government has set aside a £600m fund to help building owners replace ACM cladding, plus an extra £1bn for non-ACM cladding on high rise residential buildings that are 18 metres or over. But there is no government funding for anyone who owns a multi-storey building that is lower than this. Owners and residents in low-rise buildings have been left behind in potentially dangerous blocks and with no government help yet announced.

One thing is certain ? the cladding scandal is far from over. Many people around the country will be effectively trapped in their own homes long after lockdown if nothing is done to help them.

If you are interested in attending any future webinars hosted by Ringley, please get in touch with Anthony.james@ringley.co.uk to register your interest.

www.ringley.co.uk
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