Dealing with asbestos
Learn what to do if you find asbestos in your home and see how we can help.
Asbestos in your home is not dangerous unless it becomes damaged or disturbed. If this happens, it could release dust or fibres which may cause harm.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos was mainly used as an insulation and fireproofing material from the 1950s until 1999. Although it is not used today, any building constructed or refurbished before 2000 could contain it. Asbestos in good condition is not a hazard.
Why is asbestos dangerous?
If asbestos gets damaged the dust it releases could cause serious lung diseases. It could take up to 30 years before you see or feel any symptoms of disease, so it's important to protect yourself today.
Where is asbestos found?
Loft and cavity wall insulation don’t normally contain asbestos. Asbestos fibres were typically mixed into cement, plaster and other materials. As a result, asbestos is often found in:
- insulation board
- gutters, rainwater pipes, water tanks, garages or shed roofing sheets
- textured coatings, such as ceiling finishes
- floor tiles and textiles
- sprayed coatings on ceilings, walls and beams for fire protection
- pipe lagging.
What should you do if you think there’s asbestos in your home?
Leave asbestos alone. Never cut, drill, sand, scrape or try to remove any asbestos-based materials.
If you think your home may contain asbestos, phone our customer services team on 0300 500 8000 for advice. Our trained staff or approved-asbestos consultants will come and make sure that your home is safe.
Even if you’re not sure whether something contains asbestos, it is safer to presume it does and ask us to get it checked.
How we deal with asbestos
If you think you have asbestos and your home hasn't already been checked, we’ll arrange a professional asbestos survey.
If asbestos is found, there are four options depending on the risk identified:
- Remove the asbestos.
- Encapsulate or ‘coat’ it.
- Seal off the area containing the asbestos.
- Leave it in place and regularly check its condition. You should phone us if it later becomes damaged or deteriorates.
All asbestos work is carried out by contractors with a special licence issued by the Government. This means they work to strict safety regulations. Priority is given to residents in homes that are due for significant building work.
Can I make home improvements?
Please phone our customer services team on 0300 500 8000 and we can tell you if there is any asbestos in your home, or arrange for a survey to check for it.
Remember, you need permission from us before carrying out any improvements or alterations to your home.
Clarion and asbestos
We survey buildings built before 2000 to look for asbestos. Regular checks are also carried out to make sure materials and finishes are not damaged.
We keep a register detailing exactly where asbestos has been found, and its type and current condition.
We’ll contact you if we find asbestos that needs attention in your home or building.
More information
Phone our customer services team on 0300 500 8000 for information and advice, or if you think there’s asbestos in your home.
To find out more about asbestos, take a look at the information from Health and Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos.