Questions to the Mayor of London – answered at on 22 January 2021.
The Government recently announced measures to address the EWS1 crisis1. Does the rush to train 2000 assessors in 6 months- compared to the standard 4-5 years RICS have stated is necessary for training- risk leaving EWS1 forms being completed by inexperienced and undertrained assessors?
1 ‘Government steps in to help homeowners caught up in ‘EWS1’ process’ [Date accessed 24.11.20]
It is vital that steps are taken to train new assessors. According to RICS, the training programme is designed for chartered building and building control surveyors who already have a base knowledge to undertake external wall system assessments for low-to-medium risk residential buildings. The Government must also work with the insurance industry to ensure there are clear standards of professional competence to build confidence in providing appropriate professional indemnity cover for those who complete this training programme and work on external wall systems.
As you know, the prolonged absence of a comprehensive national solution is taking an incredibly heavy toll on many thousands of Londoners – both financially and in terms of their wellbeing. That is why I wrote to the Secretary of State in September regarding EWS1, in September, setting out five urgent steps he must take to solve this for both leaseholders and the housing market. I am still yet to receive a response and I will keep pressing for a properly integrated package of measures that fixes this once and for all.