Are asbestos surveys mandatory?

We are often asked whether asbestos surveys are a mandatory requirement, either for owners of residential or commercial properties. The truth is that it depends on the specific circumstances of the property. It’s also true that while sometimes it’s not necessarily mandatory to have a survey, it can be hugely important to ensure that no-one is put at risk of being exposed to asbestos.

Asbestos surveys for commercial and industrial properties

If you are responsible for a non-domestic property that was built before 2000 you will almost certainly need to have an asbestos survey carried out. This is because the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 state that you have a duty of care to anyone who works or visits the property and that you need to have an asbestos management plan in place to mitigate risk. Having an asbestos survey carried out is your first task so that you can begin to create your management plan.

In this sense, asbestos surveys are mandatory as without one you cannot create an accurate management plan, which is a legal requirement. For more information on asbestos surveys for commercial and industrial properties, click here.

Asbestos surveys for residential properties

Once again it is unfortunately the case that almost any residential property that was built before 2000 could contain asbestos. While homeowners are not required to have an action plan in place, many prefer to understand the extent of the asbestos at their home and know how to manage or deal with it.

It should also be noted that if you are a landlord or are responsible for a block of residences that have common areas such as stairs, corridors and foyers fall under non-domestic properties. So you would be required to have a plan in place and once again, the best to create one is by having an asbestos survey. If you would like to have a survey carried out either at your home or at work, please contact us today.