All rented homes built before 2000 should have a survey done on them within the next few years – by 2022 – to establish whether they have any asbestos in them.
And before the sale of any house built before 2000 is completed, a survey should be done to detect asbestos and any asbestos-containing material labelled.
It is not clear whether the survey should be done by buyer or vendor.
The recommendations are in a new report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health, calling for a new law to enact the phased eradication of asbestos in buildings.
The report estimates that asbestos is present in 1m homes as well as in 500,000 non-domestic buildings.
Where a survey on a rented home shows asbestos, all refurbishment, repair or remedial work should involve its removal. In any event, the asbestos should be removed by 2035.
However, it is the surveys requirement that could prove a much more immediate challenge.
The report is here
Comments (8)
Asbestos is nasty stuff without a doubt (it killed my granddad). And it is EVERYWHERE.
I work on the south coast and I would say nearly every house where the owner has lived there for more than 25 years has got asbestos Artex in it.
That probably accounts for 25-30% of all sales in the area.
I think that, just like the EPC, a vendor/ landlord should be required to provide an asbestos report when the property is put on the market. Market forces will drop the price to something quite reasonable and we all have systems in place to cope with the EPC – it’s just another box to tick.
I don’t think that it is fair or practical to insist that any work done must first eradicate the asbestos.
The report will allow buyers, tenants and property owners to decide what to do next for themselves.
I think a survey as part of the house buying process is a good idea and also for the letting side of things. 2022 recommended to get the survey carried out and 2035 to remove it.
Ive been involved from a man agents pov with Blocks of flats and encapsulations/removal so understand the work/cost involved.
Yes more work for agents but I think its an important and valid aim to try and remove all asbestos for properties.
It was the asbestos times, it was the asworstos times.
You and Robert together? A new comedy double act? Brilliant
More lunatic legislation. Asbestos has been so widely used and in some cases poses not health risks where it is properly encapsulated. Asbestos can be found in most houses prior to the 2000 including thermoplastic tiles (the hard plastic floor tiles) the old black rubber type toilet cisterns, loo seats as Robert May says, Artex (more dangerous), asbestos cement water tanks, gutters, roofs soffits, gutters etc the list goes on and on. It will not be easy to find it in many cases eg Artex where ceilings have been over-boarded or plastered over to hide it when the textured finishes fell out of fashion. Perhaps the government should pay for all pre 2000 built properties to be demolished and rebuilt asbestos free and to new regulations
Some toilet seats contain asbestos, don’t ask me why, something to do with Johny Cash perhaps?
I don’t think they got your reference!
Let’s see if I get comment of the week once they do.