Asbestos was used widely in the building industry and can be found in several products and materials.
Asbestos is safe if the material is undamaged or not disturbed. Contact us if you think there is asbestos in your home and we’ll arrange for one of our specialist contractors to complete a thorough asbestos survey of your home.
If we do find any issues, we will take action to make sure your home is safe.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos was commonly used as a building material from the 1950s to 1999. It was often mixed into materials like cement and plaster so could be found in products such as:
- Paneling inside airing cupboards, lofts and to the rear of boiler cupboard doors
- Gutters, water tanks, garage / shed roofs
- Textured ceiling finishes (artex) applied to walls and ceilings
- Floor tiles including adhesives
- Pipe lagging
Remember, asbestos in good condition is not a hazard
Why is asbestos dangerous?
The fibres or dust released when asbestos is damaged or disturbed can cause serious lung diseases. The symptoms of these diseases might not appear for up to 30 years after exposure to asbestos, so it’s vital to protect yourself today.
How we deal with asbestos
Over the next 12 months, we are surveying every home that doesn't have an up-to-date survey and was built before the year 2000. Where asbestos is identified, we will log:
- Its location
- The type
- The condition
If we find asbestos there are a number of options and what we do will depend on the risk. We may:
- Remove the asbestos
- Encapsulate or ‘coat’ it with a sealant paint
- Leave it in place and regularly check its condition. You should phone us if it later becomes damaged or deteriorates
We use contractors who hold a license to do this type of work safely while following all regulations.
I think there is asbestos in my home
Leave it alone. You may come across it when doing some DIY. Do not cut, drill, sand, scrape or try to remove any asbestos-based materials. If you don’t know for certain if something contains asbestos, it’s safer to presume it does.
Contact our Resident Services Team and we’ll be able to advise you, if needed we will come and check
Health and Safety Executive
Visit the Health and Safety Executive’s asbestos page on their website here HSE: Asbestos - health and safety in the workplace