Bermondsey Family Struggles to Sell Home Due to Council’s Fire Safety Delays
A Bermondsey family faces hurdles selling their home due to council delays in fire safety certificates needed for mortgage approvals
Bermondsey, South London, EWS1 Forms, Fire Safety, Southwark Council
South London: A family in Bermondsey is stuck in a tough spot. They can’t sell their flat because the council is dragging its feet on fire safety certificates. These certificates are crucial for buyers to secure a mortgage.
Victoria Gatenby, 47, has been waiting for an EWS1 form from Southwark Council since 2021. She and her husband found a buyer back in 2022, but the deal fell through when the bank refused to lend without that form.
Now, Victoria has moved out of London for work and is renting near Reading. But without the EWS1 form, she can’t sell her flat, which means her family can’t buy a new home. It’s a real mess.
She’s frustrated, saying, “I didn’t think it would take four years. They say the building is safe, but how do we know without the EWS1?” With two kids, all they want is a place to call their own.
After years of emails and calls to the council, Victoria is losing hope. Her solicitor even suggested selling to a cash buyer for much less than the flat’s worth. That’s a tough pill to swallow.
The EWS1 forms came about after the Grenfell Tower fire in 2018. They show that a building has been checked for fire safety, especially if it has cladding that could be a fire risk.
In late 2022, some big banks said they’d lend on tall buildings with fire safety issues if there’s a plan to fix them. But each bank has its own rules, and no one in Wrayburn House seems to have found a buyer who can get a mortgage without the EWS1.
Cllr Rachel Bentley from the local Liberal Democrats called the delays a “scandal.” Another leaseholder said potential buyers backed out because they couldn’t get bank loans without the form.
She’s feeling the pressure, saying, “I’m desperate to sell due to my financial situation. I’ve done everything right, but I’m stuck.” Communication with the council has been a nightmare for her.
Victoria has even filed a complaint against the council, claiming they sent her a generic response to her concerns. Cllr Bentley added that this is just another housing scandal from the Labour council, and people are fed up.
In response, Cllr Sarah King said they’re working on the EWS1 requests while waiting for new government rules that won’t require the form. But for families like Victoria’s, that’s little comfort right now.