Help and Support

ACMs, were commonly used in building materials throughout the 20th century. In homes, they’re most frequently found in:

• Asbestos textured coatings (artex) – often found on ceilings and walls in various patterns
• Asbestos cement – used internally and externally in sheets, water tanks, and pipes
• Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) – typically used for heat or fire protection around heating systems
• Asbestos floor tiles and WC cisterns – these are reinforced plastics and less likely to release fibres when damaged

• If you’re worried you have anything which contains asbestos, which is damaged or deteriorating in any way, please get in contact with us immediately
• If we don’t already know whether there’s asbestos in your home, we’ll arrange for a survey to be carried out
• You can’t tell if a material contains asbestos just by looking at it. The material it’s added to often disguises the fibres
• Please contact us before completing any home improvements so that we complete any checks and give you permission to complete the work

It’s our responsibility to deal with any asbestos found in your home but that doesn’t mean we’ll automatically take it out. Sometimes the removal process has more risk than leaving it where it is. We might remove it when we do repairs or planned work.

When a survey report recommends removing the asbestos

We’ll use a specialised contractor and we’ll generally remove asbestos, if:

• It’s damaged, crumbling or deteriorating
• Its type, location and condition are shown to be a risk
• It’s in a place in the home that’s used a lot or where it could easily get damaged

When a survey report says asbestos has been found but in good condition and not likely to cause a problem

We’ll leave it in place and record where it is. We may make the material safe with a special coating or covering, to prevent anything happening to it.
We’ll often leave asbestos in place, if:

• It’s in good condition and not damaged or deteriorating
• Its type, location and condition are shown to be okay
• It’s in a part of the home which isn’t used much or isn’t easy to reach

We might already have an asbestos survey for your home. If you’re planning any works in your home, please contact us and we can let you know if there is any asbestos there.

• Don’t drill or screw into, cut, or disturb any ACM
• Don’t scrape or sand materials, even before decorating
• Don’t sweep, dust or vacuum disturbed asbestos
• Don't jet-wash or clean down corrugated garage or shed roofs containing asbestos
• Don't remove old floor tiles or linoleum which may contain asbestos
• Do treat ACMs with respect and tell us if you think it’s been damaged or deteriorated
• Do contact us before carrying out any DIY or improvement work that may disturb the building materials

You'll need to arrange for a licensed professional to do the work.
If your home was built before 2000 and you're not sure, check out the HSE for more advice.

We carry out asbestos surveys to collect data and ensure any planned work can proceed safely. This information is shared with employees and contractors working in your home.
Where ACMs are identified, they’re not automatically removed - this can sometimes pose a greater risk due to disturbance, but we monitor their condition regularly.
We‘ll check previous inspections before work starts, and raise new inspections and arrange safe removal if required.
When homes are empty, and when needed, we carry out an asbestos survey to identify any Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs). The results of the survey will be shared with you.