A new fire-safety inspection of the Hayes apartment complex above Cardiff's flagship St David's shopping centre has resolved fears that the flats would be "unsellable". The buildings have been given a new rating which clears banks and mortgage providers to lend against the properties.
The buildings, which contain more than 300 flats, were previously found to have an external wall system - including cladding - which did not achieve an "adequate standard of safety" following a survey in November 2020. An EWS1 inspection, also known as a External Wall System Fire Review certificate, gave the flats a B2 rating meaning that they required remedial work.
However the properties have now been given an improved B1 rating in a certificate dated June 21. This means that independent fire engineers have concluded that no remedial works are required. Banks and mortgage providers will lend against properties with a B1 rating but won't lend with a lower rating unless a programme of remedial work has been agreed and funded.
An EWS1, also known as a External Wall System Fire Review certificate, is a form created in 2019 as a way of helping people buy and sell homes and re-mortgage. The process is only carried out for valuation purposes and means a qualified person assesses the safety of the external wall insulation - it is not the same as a risk assessment.
As a result of the earlier inspection, one flat owner claimed that his property at the Hayes was "worthless" and "impossible to sell". You can read more about that here. Now, however, the issue has been resolved.
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The improved rating follows extensive assessments into the external wall system at the Hayes. The findings of the latest assessment also supports the conclusions of a number of comprehensive fire risk assessments that have been carried out at the apartment complex, which found that there were "no life safety concerns" across the whole building, which contains 332 flats.
After the updated certificate was issued, a Landsec spokesperson said: “The safety and wellbeing of our residents is at the heart of everything we do. We’re pleased that The Hayes has now been issued with an improved B1 certification under the EWS1 process, meaning that independent fire engineers have concluded that no remedial works are required.
"This finding also supports the conclusions of numerous comprehensive fire risk assessments that we have undertaken in the past two years. We appreciate this has been a challenging time for some of our residents and we apologise for any frustration.”
Chris White, who has owned an apartment at the Hayes since 2013 had previously claimed that his flat was "unsellable". Having put his property up for sale for £175,00, Chris was shown the building's EWS1 certificate when it carried the B2 rating, which was awarded due to inspectors finding that "an adequate standard of safety is not achieved".
That rating meant that combustible materials are present in the building's external wall system and that remedial works were required. At the time, he claimed that this meant his property was worthless, with the construction worker demanding clarification from the building's owner, Landsec, on any works to satisfy the requirements for months. Get the latest news from across Cardiff sent straight to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter.
Speaking earlier this month, Chris said: "It’s just incredible that this is happening here above the busiest shopping centre in Wales. If we were somewhere way out of the city, it may not be as remarkable. But it’s unbelievable when it’s above a flagship shopping centre like St David’s, where thousands of people go every week.
"I couldn't believe it when I found out about the B2 rating, it is really shocking. I'm not an expert in these matters, but when I was told about it, I did some research and realised that with that rating, I was very unlikely to get a mortgage. I'm wanting to sell this flat, but instead I'm being told it's essentially worthless.
He added: "The lack of action to try and resolve this has been appalling, really. Landsec are sitting around doing nothing in my opinion. It's not just an issue that affects me, either. It applies to everything that's sat above St David's 2, and that is an awful lot of property, because for one single building, this is absolutely huge."
Amid changing government standards, Landsec conducted another assessment into the external wall system at the Hayes earlier this year, but by the end of June were yet to update leaseholders on their findings. They apologised to Chris and others for the lengthy assessment process, but repeatedly assured tenants that there are no life safety concerns across the entire block of flats, nor were there any interim measures necessary to ensure fire safety standards at the building.
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