Asbestos Surveys For Estate Agents

Refurbishment and Demolition Asbestos Surveys For Estate Agents

If the seller, or perhaps a potential buyer, of the home you are listing plans to refurbish or renovate the property, or significant maintenance works are required due to the age of the building, any asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) within the fabric of the building could be disturbed in the process. This is where asbestos exposure becomes a concern. As the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states, asbestos becomes a risk to human health when its fibres are released into the air and breathed in. This can pose serious health risks, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural thickening, etc.

That’s why, if the property is due to undergo refurbishment or significant maintenance works, it is vital that the dutyholder adheres to their legal obligations, and enlists the help of a licensed asbestos company to undertake a Refurbishment & Demolition (R&D) Survey (formerly known as a Type 3 Asbestos Survey). An R&D survey involves an in-depth, visual, and intrusive inspection in order to identify and assess the presence, type, and condition of any potential ACMs present.

Due to the invasive sampling methods used during an R&D survey, the premises must be vacant at all times to comply with the relevant legal regulations and ensure the safety of yourself and those around you. As accredited asbestos surveyors, we will only ever take samples in accordance with the HSG264 Asbestos: The Survey Guide. Once the samples have been sent for analysis to an independent UKAS-accredited laboratory, we will then be able to confirm whether asbestos is present and provide impartial advice on the next steps, should further action be necessary.

Asbestos Management Plans For Estate Agents

An Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) sets out the steps the seller of the property should take as a dutyholder, in order to manage the risk of asbestos within their premises. 

Our expert asbestos consultants will produce a history of the materials on-site and ensure they have either been maintained, labelled or removed. As well as the required course of action, timeframes for completion will also be provided in your bespoke plan, based on a priority and material risk assessment scale. 

The dutyholder will be noted in the plan as the person responsible for managing the risk of asbestos within the property, as well as details of the asbestos register, any previous asbestos works undertaken at the premises, and the level of communication required to ensure the risk of asbestos will be managed effectively. The management plan will also include any asbestos training required to minimise health and safety risks.

Asbestos Re-Inspections For Estate Agents

Depending on the condition of the confirmed ACMs within the property, our asbestos consultants may advise you that it’s safer to leave them in situ, while having regular compliance checks carried out to ensure the materials do not deteriorate.

This is where our Asbestos Re-Inspections come in. These services are usually advised as part of an Asbestos Management Plan, so we can assess any ACMs that have been left in situ within the building. This is extremely important for homes that pre-date the year 2000, as older structures can pose a higher risk of containing ACMs with deteriorated conditions, or inspection reports that have passed their expiry date.