EWS1 form and selling a flat

[Friendlysquirrel]

Our buyer pulled out of the sale of our flat due to our management company not providing this form a couple of months ago. The building management company say the building survey needed costs more than they have budgeted for. We want to put the flat back on the market asap as it is ridiculously small for the size of our family and we're struggling with it but don't want to lose another sale obviously. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of this? Are the management company obliged to arrange the survey? Will this block any potential buyer from getting a mortgage? Do we try and get a cash buyer? Any advice at all would be appreciated as we're feeling so trapped, especially with the current lock down situation.

The management company should be undertaking a annual fire risk assessment and have a suitably qualified individual complete a EWS1 form to asses whether the external envelope of the building is safe or requires work, (the form lasts for 5 years. The RICS have recently updated their advice and your management company should be following this guidance as best practice)
The EWS1 form will advice if any work is needed, the work being, making the external envelope of the building ie cladding, brick slips, etc fire safe if it not already.
If the building requires work, then the leaseholders may be obliged, depending on their lease, to pay through their maintenance fees.
If your purchasers are getting a mortgage, the mortgage provider will require a EWS1 form on file and the information on the file will help them make a decision on whether to lend on the property.
A cash buyer would remove this issue, but a solicitor would likely advise to not purchase without a EWS1 form as they’d be putting themselves in the position that you are in now when they come to sell.