Institution of Fire Engineers responds to RICS consultation on valuer guidance

Intended for valuers conducting mortgage valuations on residential properties with cladding, the guidance specifically aims to provide consistency around whether an EWS1 Form should be requested before proceeding.

The IFE has been working closely with the RICS and recommended in the first instance that the wider fire sector and Government should be consulted. It’s the IFE’s strong view that the RICS guidance must be future-proof and consistent with the forthcoming recommendations outlined in PAS 9980, the guidance that will accompany the forthcoming amendments to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and safety case guidance for the future Building Safety Bill.

Key comments included in the IFE’s consultation response include the following:

*a suggested simplified definition of cladding

*a recommendation that masonry clad timber-framed buildings shouldn’t be excluded

*a suggestion that measured heights should be included in the building storey threshold definitions

*a recommendation that arrangement of cladding on a façade should be considered

The IFE anticipates that a number of interested parties from different sectors will have responded to the consultation, including those in the finance industry. It states: “We have started to see sight of these responses, some of which are calling for the IFE’s backing of the proposed RICS guidance. The Institution’s support of the guidance will be subject to its final content and only then will we be in a position to understand whether we can fully endorse it.”