In accordance with the Fire Safety Act 2021, any multi-occupancy residential building’s fire risk assessment must comment on the external walls and advise whether a fire risk appraisal of the external walls (FRAEW) is recommended.
A full FRAEW forms a key part of the requirements for the following regulations and processes:
- structure, external walls and flat entrance doors fall within the scope of the Fire Safety Order, and the Fire Safety Act 2021 requires that these elements be included in all fire risk assessments
- the golden thread of information, the model of gathering, storing and maintaining the key information of a building’s life cycle under the Building Safety Act 2022
- as part of the information on the design and materials of the external wall system and level of risk that must be provided to the local fire and rescue service under the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022
- an EWS1 assessment certificate, also known as the External Wall System Fire Review certificate, is a requirement for any leaseholder buying, selling or remortgaging an apartment in a multistorey, multi-occupied residential building
- applications for the Building Safety Fund and Cladding Safety Scheme, the multi-billion-pound funds for addressing life-safety fire risks associated with cladding on mid-rise and high-rise residential buildings
- for insurance purposes, having a FRAEW has proven beneficial in reducing renewal premiums owing to the risk reduction.
The requirement for a FRAEW is determined within the fire risk assessment, which must consider the external walls and any attachments. This includes cladding, balconies and any additional external structures, the purpose being to assess the risk to occupants from a fire spreading over or within the external walls of the building and to decide whether remediation to address the risk is considered necessary on a particular building. In some cases, owing to an isolated location or limited extent of the system, the external walls may not be considered at risk, and therefore a PAS 9980 FRAEW may not be required.
An FRAEW is applicable where the risk is known, or suspected, to arise from the form of construction used for the external wall build‑up, such as the presence of combustible materials. The FRAEW is a detailed assessment that evaluates the fire risk associated with the external walls of a building, including materials and construction methods.
It follows the PAS 9980:2022 methodology, which provides a structured approach for competent professionals to assess fire risks in multi-occupied residential buildings.
The output informs your legally required Fire Risk Assessment (FRA), and leads to a risk-based action plan (management measures, targeted remediation, or full replacement if warranted). PAS 9980 emphasizes competent assessors, proportionate judgement, and transparent documentation.
Inspectas use competent and accredited MRICS Building Surveyors and Fire Engineers to undertake FRAEW’s, who are overseen and quality assured by a Chartered Fire Engineer. We work with Property Developers, FM providers, Universities, Local Authorities and Social Housing providers and have delivered numerous FRAEW’s to these sector clients.
*EWS1: This is a standardized form used primarily by lenders and valuers to assess the safety of a building’s external wall system, particularly in relation to cladding. The EWS1 form is often required for mortgage applications on buildings over 18 meters tall. It confirms that a qualified expert has evaluated the external wall system and deemed it safe from significant fire risks. EWS1 is primarily a tool for mortgage lenders to assess the risk associated with a property before granting loans, making it crucial for property transactions.