Shabana has written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government regarding concerns about the External Wall System (1) forms.

Shabana has been contracted by many leaseholders regarding difficulties selling or re-mortgaging their properties, in light of the cladding scandal. Many managing agents are facing difficulties obtaining the forms required to declare their building as safe.

Shabana has previously submitted Written Parliamentary Questions on this issue, and is now asking for further clarity.

In her letter, she asks for the dates and subjects of discussions the Secretary of State has had with the Association of British Insurers in relation to building safety remediation and insurance premiums.

You can read her letter in full below.

Letter to the Secretary of State

Dear Secretary of State,

External Wall System (1) Forms

I am writing to raise further concerns with you about the use of External Wall System (1) forms and the impact this is having on the ability to leaseholders to sell or re-mortgage their properties following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

In response to my recent Written Parliamentary Question (86618), the Housing Minister stated that: “Lenders have assured the Minister for Building Safety that leaseholders should face no barrier to renewing their mortgage with their existing lender.” I would therefore be grateful if you could outline what formal assurances your department has received from mortgage lenders that the outstanding issues regarding EWS(1) forms are being addressed.

As you will doubtless be aware, the inability many managing agents of high rise properties are facing in obtaining EWS(1) forms is causing leaseholders within such properties pronounced difficulties when they attempt to sell or re-mortgage their properties. This is an issue I, and many campaigners, have previously raised with the government and, as of yet, I have seen little evidence of the situation improving – if anything, it is getting worse.

Further to my other Written Parliamentary Question (86620) on this issue, I would be grateful if you could outline precisely: the (a) dates and (b) subjects of the (i) discussions he has had with (ii) representations he has received from the Association of British Insurers in relation to building safety remediation and insurance premiums over the last 12 months and (iii) the outcomes of those discussions.

As you will understand, many leaseholders and tenants have been left in an intolerable state of limbo following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower. Over three years later, the hundreds of thousands of victims who have been caught up in the cladding scandal need full and proper answers to critical outstanding issues such as those I have outlined.

Please note that I am also forwarding this letter to the Minister for Building Safety for his information and attention.

Thank you for looking into this matter – I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Shabana Mahmood MP
Birmingham Ladywood