Mortgage lender now blocking purchase over missing updated Fire Risk Assessment - any way through this?
Currently in the process of buying a leasehold maisonette (own front door, no communal internal areas) and my mortgage lender (Barclays) has now paused the mortgage due to the Fire Risk Assessment situation.
The latest FRA provided is from 2019. That report itself recommended a further review in 2023. The managing agents (FirstPort) have confirmed all recommendations from the 2019 FRA and subsequent health & safety works have been completed, and there are no known outstanding fire safety issues. However, they have not yet been able to provide a newer FRA/review.
My solicitor reported this to Barclays because the 2019 report explicitly recommended review in 2023 and there is currently no evidence that happened. Barclays have now responded saying they won’t proceed until an “appropriate fire risk assessment” has been completed and have asked for details of any outstanding issues/works/costs.
A few additional points:
- this is not a high-rise flat block;
- it’s a maisonette/mews-style setup with no communal internal corridors/stairwells;
- the solicitor has already heavily stressed this to Barclays;
- FirstPort’s own website says FRAs are reviewed every 1–3 years, which makes me think a newer review or assessment may exist somewhere internally;
- we are chain free and were meant to complete very shortly.
Has anyone dealt with anything similar recently?
Particularly:
- did the lender ultimately insist on a brand new FRA?
- would evidence of a review being booked/helpful written confirmation ever be enough?
- how long did this actually take to resolve?
Honestly just trying to understand whether this is likely to become a weeks issue or a months issue at this point.