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Asbestos is a material that was commonly used in properties built before 2000.

When it's disturbed or damaged it can release small fibres. These fibres can make you ill if they get in to your lungs.

Where you might find asbestos

Some of the most common Abestos-containing materials can be found in these areas:

  • Boilers – Boiler insulation, boiler flue pipes and storage radiators
  • Exterior of the building – Roof sheets and tiles, fascia & soffit boards, exterior cladding, guttering and drainpipes
  • Interior surfaces – Textured wall and ceiling finishes (e.g. Artex), duct panels (access to pipework), panels behind radiators/heaters, floor tiles and bitumen adhesives, suspended ceiling panels and underside of stairs, infill panels (above, below or next to doorways/windows)
  • Outbuildings – Garage and shed roofs, and occasionally in the walls
  • Other items – Bath panels, fireplace panels, panels to underside of sinks, old water tanks, and pipe lagging

Please note: These are not the only areas where asbestos-containing materials might be present.

Understanding the health risks

If you have asbestos in your home and it's in good condition and undisturbed then it doesn't pose any risk to your health.

If you think there's asbestos in your home

We have information on asbestos-containing materials for all of our buildings.

If you're unsure if a material contains asbestos, it's safer to leave it alone. If you have damaged, or if you think there's damaged asbestos in your home, then please contact us as soon as possible. 

Before you start any DIY improvements to your home, you MUST get written permission from us. If the work is approved but we haven't carried out a recent asbestos survey, we'll arrange one to be done for you.

For more information about the health affects of asbestos exposure please visit the Health and Safety Executive website.

Managing asbestos

The safety of our customers is our number one priority.

We'll keep you and our staff safe by managing any asbestos-containing materials in your home. We will:

  • Inspect communal areas of our blocks and garages every year
  • Conduct a thorough survey of your home and take samples for testing before any improvement work starts
  • Check the condition of any confirmed asbestos materials in your home to make sure they're in good condition. We'll do this every seven years
  • Use only approved licensed asbestos removal contractors
  • Share our findings with you if we find any asbestos in your home or buildings

If we find asbestos in your home, we can:

  • Leave it in place – often the best and safest option
  • Remove it for essential works to be carried out. We'll only ever use licensed contractors to do this
  • Encapsulate it. This is where a special coating is applied to the material to stop the fibres being released into the air

If you'd like any more information or have any questions about how we manage asbestos in our homes then please contact us.