Payam Azadi: RICS cladding guidance is a “positive” step

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) revealed new guidance relating to cladding on 8 March, which Payam Azadi, director of Niche Advice believes is a positive step.

The guidance will clarify which types of properties will, and will not, require additional inspections due to concerns about fire safety.

However, Azadi outlined that while the guidance does benefit those property types specified by RICs, it does nothing for those which are not.

Industry has little faith in government to resolve the cladding issue

Azadi said: “There needs to be a discussion between lenders, surveyors and the government to establish and clarify what needs to be done in order the best benefit those in properties with cladding related issues.”

According to RICS, the guidance aims to create clarity and consistency about when a valuer is not required to request further investigation of cladding through an EWS1 form before valuing a property in a building of multiple occupation.

Azadi said that while he believes RICS are contributing positively to the issue, the government must do more in order to support the guidance and further implement it across the board.

As well as this, Azadi looks to who will be required to pay in order to resolve much of the cladding issues, which relate to recladding properties.

Azadi said: “Someone is going to have to pay and this may be the government, leaseholders or potentially through a fund, but someone will need to pay.”