Management Asbestos Surveys

Management Surveys

This type of asbestos survey is for Commercial & Industrial businesses, Leaseholders or Freeholders occupying and purchasing property and Residential Home Purchasers. This type of report forms the requirements under Regulation 4 of the Control Of Asbestos Regulations 2012 “Duty to Management” which places an onus of responsibility on those who manage property to have an understanding of what asbestos containing materials (ACM’s) are present within the property so as these can be managed safely. This type of inspection can also be required when you are handing back your lease or disposing of the property where an asbestos survey report is not already in place. Solicitors will frequently request this information during the course of the process. This type of report is now commonly produced for prospective purchases of residential property in order to give the new owner a better understanding of what ACM’s are present and any considerations which may be needed and how these materials will be safely managed.

Commercial & Industrial Properties

Asbestos survey inspections of these properties are a legal requirement* regardless of size or type, if the property in question is commercial in use ( some residential is included) then an asbestos survey report should be in place in order to help comply with the requirement of the regulation. It is usually the responsibility of the leaseholder to ensure such information exists especially where a fully repairing and insuring lease ( FRI) is in place, this is because a FRI puts the responsibility of internal repair and maintenance ( sometimes external also) onto the leaseholder and the asbestos regulations put the onus of Regulation 4 onto whoever is responsible for “maintenance”. It is worth checking the finer points of the lease to confirm what the obligations are for a leaseholder with regards to asbestos, very occasionally the lease may say otherwise. Assured short hold tenancies are usually significantly different than FRI and as such the responsibility of asbestos usually resides with the landlord.

Where landlords happen to be the occupants of the property then clearly the responsibility rests with them ( occasional the managing agents will arrange this where such an arrangement exists), where landlords are in possession of empty properties whilst tenants are being found, the landlord will be responsible for ensuring a suitable asbestos management survey is in place so as this information can be made available to any incoming tenant. The process for undertaking an asbestos survey is similar to other types of building surveys or inspection but with the focus on asbestos containing materials. A detailed appraisal by the surveyor will start with a visual inspection of the demise followed by sampling of any suspect materials within the respective areas. All areas should be inspected within a given property in order to make the report as full and usable as possible, including basements and roof spaces where these occur. Once the site visit has been completed the report is compiled including the asbestos register which is a critical section within the report which will summarize what asbestos containing materials are present, where they are, what the extent is and the condition. This information is used to compile the risk assessment and details what legal obligations are required and how the ACM’s should be managed.

Residential Properties

Having an asbestos survey inspection undertaken on your home prior to either exchange or completion is now common place. In recent years prospective purchasers have become more aware of the possibility of asbestos containing materials within their future purchase and the health and financial implications this might have. The information within an asbestos report assists the buyer in the overall decision making process as part of their due diligence and whether they proceed with the purchase or renegotiate their position. As well as the questions a purchasers may have about what asbestos containing materials may be present, mortgage lenders and the like are raising the question of asbestos more than ever before as this helps them in their overall financial risk assessment, or as is sometimes the case not lending at all on the basis of what materials have been used in the property.  The methodology in carryout an asbestos management survey on a residential property is much the same as a home buyers valuation report or a full building survey but with the onus being on asbestos materials within the home. As with any survey the surveyor will need to attend the property in order to inspect the various areas and where materials are identified samples of these materials will be taken and analysed by a laboratory to confirm or refute the presence of asbestos. Depending on the age, size and style of the property several samples of suspect materials may be taken for analysis, the results of the laboratory samples are then compiled within a report together with an asbestos register and photographs of the materials in question. Other critical information such as extent, location, asbestos type and very importantly condition are also included.

It is also worth noting that a home buyer VR or building survey report which makes reference to asbestos materials is usually doing so on the basis of a presumption, and will only bring to your attention the most obvious of asbestos materials picked up by the untrained eye, further asbestos materials are usually found when an asbestos inspection is undertaken.

Why are asbestos containing materials present and what do they do

Asbestos was added to a plethora of different building materials from circa 1850 through to 1999 ( some exemptions ran until 2003). There are 3 common types of asbestos know commonly as blue, brown and white asbestos and these were added in differing amounts for specific purposes in order to give building materials certain qualities. The qualities were broadly for strength, fire-resistance and chemical-resistance. Due to the long history of asbestos use within the UK and relative long periods between refurbishments and redevelopments asbestos materials are extremely common within all property types. Some of the most recognised building materials & products can contain asbestos depending on their age. Examples of asbestos materials which are readily found within properties of all type are:

Thermoplastic floor tiles ( sometimes called Marley floor tiles)
Textured coating  ( Artex)
Asbestos insulating board as ( Porch Panels, under window panels, soffit board, door linings, hot air cupboard linings, paneled ceilings, suspended ceilings, firebreaks and beam cladding)
Flue pipe & soil pipes including rainwater goods
Pipe lagging and insulation including boiler vessels
Under-cloaking tiles
Damp Proof Course
Gaskets & rope seals in high temperature plant, including fuse board and breakers
Sprayed coatings
Paper backings
Friction products clutches and brake linings
Bitumen & mastic adhesive
Corrugated, profiled and flat cement sheeting

How we can assist you

Whether you require a single survey inspection of a given property or need your entire portfolio surveyed EnviroHive can assist you. In the first instance please contact us by email or telephone or in writing if you prefer. We will require several pieces of information on the property such as the postcode, size of the building in sqft or sqm and the age & use.

If you are unsure as to which asbestos survey type you require please contact us and one of our surveyors will be happy to discuss your requirements.

If your property is in the following areas, Guildford, Newbury, Portsmouth, Southampton, Surrey, Winchester, Berkshire, Hampshire, Reading, Richmond, Twickenham, and need a survey, test, assessment or advice, please contact us for further information.