Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the insurance industry, and (2) housing association providers, about agreeing an insurance indemnity to enable those in shared ownership properties to obtain a mortgage and move when they do not have a cladding test certificate.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) designed and implemented the External Wall System form (EWS1) in conjunction with mortgage lenders to assist in the valuation of high-rise residential buildings for mortgage purposes, and high-rise residential buildings include those provided by housing associations. Not all lenders request an EWS1 form, and the Government does not support a blanket approach in EWS1 use for lower risk properties. We are working with mortgage lenders to support a more pragmatic approach in their valuation of homes within multi storey residential buildings. We are encouraging lenders to accept a broader range of evidence to assure themselves of a build’s value. The Department also discussed these challenges with Housing Associations, and has frequent meetings with the insurance industry, including on the availability of insurance for professionals undertaking this work.