Winter Turnovers: Asbestos Checks for HMOs and Rentals
Why winter is a smart time to act
Between tenancies and during the quieter winter months, many landlords and agents push through repairs and light refurbishments—new floor coverings, heating upgrades, bathroom refreshes, or rewires. In properties built before 2000, there’s a real chance some of the materials you’ll touch contain asbestos. A little planning now prevents dangerous exposure, project delays and costly rework later.
Where asbestos commonly hides in rentals
Textured coatings (Artex) on ceilings and walls, especially in halls and bedrooms
Vinyl floor tiles and the black bitumen adhesive underneath
Cement boards in soffits, service cupboards and behind baths/showers
Electrical back boards and old heater/storage radiator panels
Pipe lagging and insulation residues near boilers and in risers
Roofing sheets on detached garages or outbuildings
Your responsibilities
For houses and flats, domestic areas are typically exempt, but common parts of multi-occupancy buildings (e.g., lobbies, stairwells, service areas) are treated as non-domestic spaces and fall under a duty to manage asbestos. In practice, that means:
Identify possible asbestos-containing materials (ACMs)—often via a management survey for common parts.
Assess risk—condition, likelihood of disturbance and occupancy.
Plan and manage—label, monitor, encapsulate or arrange removal if needed.
Inform—provide clear information to anyone who may disturb the materials (contractors, maintenance teams).
Choosing the right survey for winter works
Management Survey: Baseline for day-to-day occupation and maintenance. Ideal for common parts and when you’re not doing invasive works.
Refurbishment Survey (R&D): Required before any intrusive works (e.g., chasing, rewires, bathroom/kitchen rip-outs, boiler swaps). This is targeted to the exact areas you’ll disturb and often includes sampling behind finishes.
Tip: share your contractor’s scope with us and we’ll mirror it in the survey—no gaps, no hold-ups.
Plan like a pro: sequencing that saves time
Define the works (what gets cut, lifted or drilled).
Book the survey for those areas—48–72 hours ahead is often enough.
Receive results with a clear plan: remove, encapsulate or proceed.
Schedule removal (if needed) with proper containment and air testing.
Handover documentation to your contractor so they can work confidently.
Remove or encapsulate?
Removal is the right call when materials are damaged, will be disturbed by the refurb, or sit in poor-access areas that risk accidental damage later.
Encapsulation (sealing and protecting ACMs in good condition) can be a smart, compliant way to reduce risk where removal isn’t necessary or practical. We’ll advise based on condition, location and your programme.
Common winter jobs & what to check
New flooring: Watch for vinyl tiles and black adhesive—don’t heat-scrape or grind. A quick sample can keep the schedule moving.
Bathroom refresh: Cement-backed boards behind baths/showers and boxing around pipes are frequent finds. Avoid cutting until surveyed.
Heating upgrades: Old warm-air systems and storage heaters sometimes include ACMs; isolation and targeted surveys prevent surprises.
Electrical works: Old meter/DB back boards can be asbestos-containing—flag to electricians and survey those surfaces first.
Garages/outbuildings: Corrugated cement roofs are common; removal must be controlled with proper fixings, sheets handling and waste transfer.
Documentation your contractors will thank you for
We provide clear survey reports, plans and photos, plus, where removal is required, RAMS, containment details, and air test results. You also receive waste transfer notes and a simple record of what was removed, where and when. This transparency keeps you compliant and your trades confident.
Speed without shortcuts
We understand turnovers are time-sensitive. Our winter programme offers:
Fast sampling (often same-day) and rapid lab results
Targeted refurb surveys that match your scope exactly
Short-notice removal slots, including evenings/weekends to reduce disruption
Encapsulation options when that’s the best balance of safety, cost and time
Costs & budgeting
Surveys are typically modest compared to the cost of a delayed fit-out. Because we focus on the exact areas to be disturbed, you don’t pay for unnecessary scope. If removal is required, we’ll price transparently with options (phased works, encapsulation or full removal) so you can choose the right route for your budget and timeline.
Winter turnovers are the perfect moment to identify, plan and fix asbestos risks—safely and efficiently. With the right survey and a clear sequence, your projects stay on schedule, your contractors stay protected, and your tenants return to a safer home.
Contact us today for a free quotation.