THE ANSWER, FIRST
Responsibility often follows obligations for maintenance and repair. Find out who has the duty to manage, what information exists and whether it covers the work you plan.
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Who is responsibleYour next stepsBefore spending moneyWhat you can do yourselfPutting it into practiceRecords to keepWhen to reviewCommon questionsOfficial sourcesWho is responsible?
People with maintenance or repair responsibilities for non-domestic buildings and common parts of multi-occupancy domestic buildings.
Establish whether asbestos is present or presume it is, assess its condition and risks, maintain a register and manage exposure. Give relevant information to anyone who could disturb it.
START HERE
Your next three steps
- 1
Check the lease and maintenance responsibilities.
- 2
Find existing survey records and assess whether they are sufficient for the planned work.
- 3
Keep the register and management plan current and share them before work starts.
BEFORE YOU PAY
Make sure you’re buying the right job
- Check the lease and the parts of the building each party maintains.
- Find the register, management plan and earlier survey limitations.
- Describe proposed refurbishment or intrusive work before asking for a survey price.
Watch out: A management survey is not automatically enough for intrusive refurbishment. Do not disturb suspected materials while waiting for advice.
Compare the whole cost of two quotesWhat can you do yourself?
You can assemble records, clarify responsibilities and make sure contractors receive relevant information. Assess your competence before taking on the technical parts of asbestos management.
When to get competent help
Use competent specialists for surveying and any work that may disturb asbestos. Do not sample or disturb a suspect material simply to find out what it is.
Check the information before commissioning building work
Before you commission work
Give the surveyor a clear description of the planned work and the areas it may disturb. Include previous surveys and their restrictions. A contractor pricing a fit-out needs relevant building information early enough to plan; sending a register after arrival can leave important questions unresolved.
Follow through on the result
Ask how the findings affect the proposed project and which areas still need investigation. Keep the scope and limitations with the report when sharing it, rather than circulating a reassuring summary on its own. Update the management information after relevant work so future contractors do not rely on superseded assumptions.
Compare costs and decide what to buy
Use these buying guides to prepare your brief, check exclusions and compare the whole price.
Keep a useful record
Aim for information that helps the next person make a sound decision.
- The asbestos register and survey scope, including inaccessible areas.
- A current management plan and condition checks.
- Evidence that people who might disturb materials received the relevant information.
When to review it
HSE says to review the management plan every 12 months, or sooner if necessary, and monitor material condition.
Ask a supplier to distinguish a legal deadline, a recommendation based on risk and a condition in your contract or insurance. They are not interchangeable.
Questions to put to a provider
- Is the survey suitable for our planned work?
- Are there inaccessible areas or assumptions we need to resolve?
- How will you assess and report material condition?
Common questions
Does suspected asbestos always have to be removed?
Do not assume removal is the first step. The duty is to manage the risk, and a competent assessment should determine what is appropriate for the material, condition and planned work.
Is the landlord automatically the dutyholder?
The duty can fall on an owner, landlord or someone with maintenance or repair responsibilities. Check the actual arrangement.
Check the official sources
Read the current guidance for the place where you operate. A link is not an endorsement of this website by the regulator.
Source-checked guidance. Specialist editorial sign-off is pending; this is not an assessment of your business. It does not cover every specialist activity or replace competent, case-specific advice.
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