What to check before you hire

Choosing an Asbestos Specialist

Whoever you use, including anyone you're introduced to through this site, it's worth a few minutes checking they're the right kind of specialist for the job.

Get free quotes Licensed vs non-licensed work

Checks

Four checks you can do yourself

Removal contractors: check the licence

Most work on sprayed coatings, lagging and asbestos insulating board must be done by an HSE-licensed contractor. Ask for their licence details and check them against the current list HSE links to. Licences are issued for up to three years, so check the list is current.

Current licensed asbestos contractors (linked from HSE)

Non-licensed work: check training

Lower-risk jobs, such as removing asbestos cement sheets carefully, don't need a licence but must be done by trained workers following HSE guidance. Ask what training they have and how they will control dust and waste.

HSE: non-licensed work

Surveyors and laboratories: check accreditation

HSE strongly recommends surveying organisations accredited by UKAS to ISO/IEC 17020. Sample analysis must be done by a laboratory accredited to ISO/IEC 17025.

Search UKAS

Waste: check the carrier

In England, businesses that carry waste must be registered with the Environment Agency. You can look a company up on the public register.

Waste carrier register

Questions to ask for your quote

What exactly is included, and what isn't (for example making good, replacement ceilings or roofs)?
Is this licensed, notifiable non-licensed or non-licensed work, and why?
How will the area be sealed off and cleaned, and how will waste be removed?
What will I receive at the end: a waste consignment note, a clearance certificate, a report?
What insurance do you hold?

Getting more than one quote helps you compare what's included. The cheapest quote isn't always the one that does the job properly.

About introductions through this site: National Asbestos Removal Centre is run by Harber Glaves Trading Ltd, which may be paid a fee by specialists it introduces. Being introduced is not an endorsement. How introductions work.

Sources: HSE: licensable work, HSE: sourcing analysts and surveyors, GOV.UK: waste carrier registration. Last reviewed September 2026.

Get free quotes from local asbestos specialists

Tell us about the job and we'll find up to 3 local asbestos specialists who cover your area and ask them to contact you with a quote. Free, no obligation.