Asbestos Management Survey | A Landlord’s Guide to Safety and Compliance

On the surface level, the words asbestos management survey may seem quite intimidating. But it protects you from serious health risks, unexpected costs, and legal trouble, especially if you’re a landlord.

An asbestos management survey makes sure that your property is compliant with UK health and safety laws by identifying asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in your property. Moreover, it ensures that the tenants and workers in your property are never exposed to harmful substances.

Getting an asbestos management survey is a legal necessity for property managers and landlords, under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. It doesn’t matter if you are renting out a small flat, a commercial space, or a building; as a landlord, it should be your utmost priority to ensure that your property is asbestos risk-free.

If you’re a landlord looking for answers to the following questions: what is an asbestos management survey, who needs one, what are its costs, and why is it important, you’ve come to the perfect place. This blog will not only answer these questions, but will also walk you through the entire process of an asbestos management survey London service.

Key Takeaways

• An asbestos management survey pinpoints whether asbestos-containing materials are possessed in a property.
• Under UK law, it’s a legal necessity for all landlords and property managers.
• Maintenance of safe homes and protection from health hazards is guaranteed by this survey.
• The costs of getting an asbestos management survey done vary with property type and size.
• Long-term safety, protection from health risks, and compliance are ensured through staying up-to-date.

What is an Asbestos Management Survey?

A survey that is used to identify if any asbestos materials are used in the building that can potentially get disturbed due to everyday use of the property is called an asbestos management survey. This survey has various motives, like making sure asbestos materials are being safely managed, sealed, or discarded from the property if they have the potential to become a hazard.

Asbestos is known for its strength and great heat-resisting abilities. It was often used in building materials till the late 1990s. Soon, people started recognizing the potential risk asbestos brings to the table, along with the benefits. When it’s damaged, asbestos fibers may become airborne and cause serious illnesses that can lead to death. These fatal illnesses include: lung cancer and asbestosis.

This became the core reason behind an asbestos management survey. It is a legal necessity for all the buildings constructed before the year 2000 to get this survey done.

Who Needs an Asbestos Management Survey?

You are responsible for the well-being of your tenants, who call your property home, as a property owner, landlord, or building manager. You are legally bound to guarantee that your property does not possess any asbestos-related risks.

You are needed. You are required to get a survey done under the following conditions:

• If your property is old and was built before the year 2000.
• If you rent out residential or commercial spaces.
• If work like maintenance, repair, or renovation is being carried out on-site.
• If you’re planning on selling or leasing the property.

Having a survey done provides you with peace of mind and contentment as a landlord. Moreover, even if you have the idea that your property is asbestos-free, it’s still recommended to get a survey done to make sure.

Why is an Asbestos Management Survey Important?

Asbestos becomes harmful only when it gets damaged or aged; its fibers become airborne and are easily inhaled, causing risk. As long as asbestos is in good condition, it’s not dangerous.

An asbestos management survey holds significance because it helps pinpoint the following:

• What is the location of the asbestos?
• What condition is it in currently?
• Does it threaten the safety of the tenants or workers?
• What procedure should be undergone to safely take it out or manage it?

Heavy fines or legal action are the potential consequences of not being up-to-date survey. If tenants get exposed to asbestos, that puts them in danger, potentially threatening their lives. No responsible landlord wants to face any of these horrible outcomes.

The Process: What Happens During an Asbestos Management Survey?

When you hire a qualified, reliable, and certified asbestos surveyor, the following things happen:

1. Inspection of the property: This step involves checking floors, ceilings, walls, insulation, and all the other potential points where asbestos might be present.
2. Collecting samples: During this step, in case of any suspicious materials, samples are collected. These samples are then sent to a trusted lab for testing.
3. Assessing the condition: The test results clearly show where asbestos is located. In this step, the danger level is assessed.
4. Creating a management plan: This step is characterized by outlining questions like: how to monitor the present asbestos or what steps should be considered to remove it safely from the building.
5. Providing a final report: In this step, an official asbestos management survey certificate is provided. This certificate possesses a summary of all the findings and the compliance steps.

When we talk about important factors like insurance, maintenance, and health and safety documentation, this report is a legal requirement.

Asbestos Management Survey Cost

The prices differ according to several factors. These factors include: property size, age, and complexity.

Given below is a general estimate of the costs:

Some companies offer asbestos management surveys in London at discounted rates for landlords and property managers who are managing multiple buildings and require multiple surveys to be done.

When it comes to asbestos surveyors, someone who is reliable, qualified, and certified must always be your priority. It’s always worth it to spend a little extra on someone who knows what they’re doing, as cheaper and unlicensed options possess serious safety risks.

Our Company’s Pricing

At Landlord Certificate London, we are aware of the fact that landlords are looking for both safety and affordability without adding more to their plates when it comes to matters like these. This is why LCL offers transparent, all-inclusive costs without any surprise add-ons. This cost covers everything, ranging from inspection to the certificate.

Our asbestos management survey cost starts from £350.

• £5 Parking Charges are applicable in case of paid parking.
• £15 Congestion Charge applicable in case the property is in a congestion charge zone.

How Often Should You Update Your Survey?

12 months is the recommended time for updating your survey, according to UK legislation. Updating regularly becomes even more mandatory if:

• You’ve made renovations.
• Any repairs have been made in the property.
• If the property is located in an older area that is on the high-risk list.

Making sure your survey is up-to-date has many benefits. These benefits include: tenant protection, compliance proof, and insurance benefits.

Legal Responsibilities for Landlords

Landlords must abide by the following rules under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012:

• Identify asbestos in their property.
• Keep the survey and management plan as a written record.
• In case of any risks, make sure that tenants and workers are aware of them.
• Make sure to maintain the condition of asbestos.

Fines, legal liability, or prosecution are the potential consequences if landlords fail to abide by the rules.

Benefits of Getting a Survey

1. Prioritizing Safety: It guarantees tenant, worker, and visitor protection from exposure to harmful materials that result in health hazards.
2. Legal Adherence: It makes sure that you’re free of any fines or penalties.
3. Peace of Mind: Knowing that your property is safe and sound for the people who call it home provides you with peace of mind as a landlord.
4. Professional Image: It is a perfect depiction of the fact that you are a responsible landlord who cares about tenant and worker safety.
5. Long-Term Financial Safety: It protects you from emergency removals in case of emergencies. It also protects from lawsuits later on.
6. Property Value: It increases property value as tenants prefer properties that are safe and secure for them.

This survey is a smart investment that takes you a long way as a landlord.

Key Difference Between Management and Refurbishment Surveys

• Management Survey:

This type of survey is carried out when the property is still being used normally. For example, when people are working inside or when tenants are living there.

The main goal of this type of survey is to make sure that the property is safe for day-to-day use. It helps with things like: identifying where asbestos is present, examining if it’s in satisfactory or unsatisfactory condition, and making a decision whether anything requires repairing, sealing, or removing.

In short, the main motive of this survey is to manage asbestos without triggering it. It is more of a routine safety check that guarantees that your property can be used safely on a day-to-day basis and no one is harmed during simple everyday tasks like cleaning, maintenance, or small repairs.

• Asbestos Refurbishment/Demolition Survey:

This type of survey is needed before any major renovation or demolition projects. These projects may include: knocking down walls, replacing ceilings, or major construction work. These surveys are done before any task that has the potential of triggering asbestos materials.

As compared to the management survey, a refurbishment/demolition survey is so much more detailed.

In short, the main motive of this survey is to identify and locate all the asbestos materials that hold the potential of being triggered during renovation or demolition so that they can be extracted from the property timely manner beforehand.

 Choosing the Right Asbestos Management Survey London Provider

Before picking a surveyor, make sure to check the following things:

• UKAS accreditation.
• Customer feedback.
• Experience with landlord portfolios.

Moreover, make sure to ask if reports include management plans and lab results, and at all costs, avoid prices that seem “too good to be true.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Final Thoughts

An asbestos management survey is so much more than just documentation; it’s the foundation of a responsible and compliant property strategy. As a landlord, it is absolutely not something that you can overlook. It does not matter if you’re a landlord responsible for managing multiple units or a business owner maintaining a commercial site; making sure that your property is asbestos safe provides you with peace of mind like nothing else can.

Asbestos isn’t loud; it doesn’t announce its presence. It quietly hides in your walls, ceilings, or floor tiles. You get to know of it when it’s already too late and all the damage is already done.

At the end of the day, it is so much more than just ticking another box; it’s about saving lives. It’s a small investment that provides you with contentment by making sure that your property is safe, compliant, and well-documented. It helps you avoid unnecessary risks that initially may seem small, but in the long run, they turn into uncontrollable hazards. Therefore, be a responsible landlord and make sure your property is asbestos safe for the people who call your property home and trust you with their lives.