What is a FRAEW? External wall appraisals explained.

What FRAEW stands for

FRAEW stands for Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls. The method is set out in PAS 9980, first published in 2022. The current edition, PAS 9980:2026, was published in September 2026 with new government guidance on commissioning and recognising good-quality FRAEWs. It is a code of practice rather than law, but it is the accepted method for appraising external walls on blocks of flats.

What a FRAEW looks at

A FRAEW is a risk-based judgement, not a pass or fail test of individual materials. The assessor considers:

• the materials in each wall type, including insulation, cladding and cavities;
• cavity barriers and fire-stopping at floor lines, windows and the top of the wall;
• attachments such as balconies, solar shading and signage;
• the building's height, use and layout;
• the fire strategy, evacuation strategy and fire safety systems such as sprinklers;
• the people who live in the building and how quickly they could escape.

Who needs a FRAEW

A FRAEW is usually commissioned by whoever is responsible for the external walls: a freeholder, residents' management company, managing agent, housing association or developer. You are likely to need one when:

• your fire risk assessment recommends one because it cannot reach a conclusion on the external walls;
• you are applying to the Cladding Safety Scheme;
• you are deciding whether, and how much, remediation is needed;
• lenders, buyers or insurers need evidence about the walls;
• you are preparing a building safety case report for a higher-risk building.

Not every building needs a full FRAEW. PAS 9980:2026 recognises that some low-risk buildings can be dealt with by a simpler factual record.

How a FRAEW is carried out

1. Scoping. We review what is known about the building and agree the scope, including whether opening-up is likely to be needed.
2. Document review. Drawings, fire strategy, fire risk assessment, product data and any previous reports.
3. Site inspection. Every elevation is inspected, with intrusive openings where the records do not show how the walls were actually built.
4. Appraisal. The fire risk of each wall type is assessed, and then the building as a whole.
5. Review and report. The report is reviewed before issue and sets out the risk rating, the reasoning and proportionate recommendations.

We typically inspect within about two weeks of instruction and issue the report within about two weeks of the inspection.

What the report tells you

A FRAEW gives an overall risk rating for the external walls, explains how it was reached, and recommends what, if anything, should be done. Recommendations should be proportionate to the risk: a good FRAEW does not treat replacing the cladding as the default answer.

The executive summary matters. Government guidance published with PAS 9980:2026 expects it to name the assessor and their qualifications and to give a clear outcome. From 1 November 2026, the RICS standard for mortgage valuations also allows a FRAEW summary to be relied on instead of an EWS1 in some cases, provided it gives a clear outcome on whether remedial works are needed.

FRAEW or EWS1?

They are different documents. A FRAEW is the full appraisal of the external walls. An EWS1 is a short form for lenders and valuers, normally signed on the strength of a FRAEW. Read our guide to FRAEW vs EWS1.

What a FRAEW looks like in practice

Frequently asked questions

What does FRAEW stand for?

Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls. It is an assessment of the risk of fire spreading over a building's external walls, carried out to PAS 9980.

Is a FRAEW a legal requirement?

PAS 9980 is a code of practice, not law. But building owners have legal duties to assess fire risk, and a FRAEW is the accepted way to assess the external walls when the fire risk assessment cannot.

Is a FRAEW the same as a fire risk assessment?

No. A fire risk assessment looks at the whole building and how it is managed. A FRAEW looks in depth at the external walls and feeds into the fire risk assessment.

Is my PAS 9980:2022 FRAEW still valid?

Yes. A FRAEW carried out competently under the 2022 edition remains valid until it needs reviewing, for example if the walls have changed or a later fire risk assessment recommends a new appraisal.

How long does a FRAEW take?

We typically inspect within about two weeks of instruction and issue the report within about two weeks of the inspection, so around four weeks in total.

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