Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral, which has very effective heat resistance, fire protection, and insulating properties. That’s why it was widely used in the construction industry between the mid-1950s to the late 1990s. Thousands of homes across the UK built during this time will have some form of it, for example in ceiling tiles and insulation.

• It’s the fibres in asbestos that are considered a risk as they can cause damage to your lungs. The fibres can be released if the asbestos is disturbed, for example through sanding or drilling when doing DIY.
• According to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), the presence of asbestos alone should not be a cause for concern. It only becomes a health risk if fibres are released into the air and breathed in. If materials containing asbestos are assessed as being in good condition, they should be left in place and monitored.

• We have created a ‘Typical Riverside Home’ diagram to highlight where asbestos containing materials may be found in your home – Coming soon

We hold a centralised asbestos register, where we store all survey and removal activity details.

We follow the advice and recommendations of the HSE who, as we’ve explained above, recommend leaving undisturbed asbestos in place.

In line with asbestos regulations, we also:

• routinely inspect communal areas and shared spaces
• carry out asbestos surveys before doing intrusive or planned repairs and other work, and arrange for safe removal whenever required
• work only with licensed and SafeContractor accredited contractors when managing or removing asbestos
• make sure our internal asbestos team and external contractors complete all relevant training.

The first thing is, don’t panic! We’re here to help and keep our customers safe. It’s important that you leave the asbestos alone and contact us as soon as possible. We can then provide you with any details we hold on our asbestos register and/or arrange for a survey to be carried out.

Here’s what you should do:

• Avoid DIY: Don’t drill, sand, or scrub materials you think might contain asbestos.
• Contact us: If you’re concerned or think asbestos might be damaged, get in touch with us straight away.
• Leave it to the experts: Never try to remove asbestos yourself. We’ll arrange for trained professionals to handle it safely.

Whether you rent or own your home, if you’re planning any home improvements or redecoration to your home, please contact us so we can ensure that, if there is any asbestos, it’s managed safely throughout your home improvements.

For all home improvements, such as kitchen or bathroom replacements, window and door replacement or layout changes, it’s important that you complete the correct form (coming soon). We’ll then be in touch to confirm whether an asbestos survey is needed and, if there is asbestos, it’s managed by our approved and accredited contractors.

We carry out different types of surveys to check for asbestos and make sure it’s being managed safely:

• Management Survey: A general check to see if asbestos is present and in good condition. These are done in communal areas or before routine maintenance.
• Refurbishment Survey: Done before major work like renovations. It’s more detailed and may involve opening walls or ceilings.
• Re-inspection Survey: Regular checks to make sure known asbestos materials haven’t deteriorated.

Depending on the type of material, different levels of control are used, from basic precautions to full containment setups.

We always:

• Use trained and accredited contractors.
• Follow all Health & Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines. For more information, visit the asbestos section on the HSE website.
• Carry out air monitoring if needed to ensure your home is safe.

If asbestos needs to be removed from your home, we’ll take you through the process from start to finish so you know what to expect.

Once a survey or work to removal asbestos is completed:

• We’ll share the results with you on request.
• If any work is needed, we’ll arrange for it to be carried out by accredited contractors and keep you informed throughout the process.
• We’ll confirm when the work has been completed and your home is safe.

We hope we’ve answered any questions you might have. However, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, please email us.