Guidance for London properties
What London flat owners, landlords and renovators should know about asbestos, and how to ask for an introduction to a specialist.
National Asbestos Removal Centre doesn't have a London office or its own staff doing asbestos work. It is an advice and introduction website run by Better Home Hub Ltd. If you send an enquiry, Better Home Hub will try to introduce you to a surveyor, analyst or contractor who covers your area. We can't promise one will be available, or how quickly.
Common situations
Much of London lives in purpose-built blocks and houses converted into flats. The legal duty to manage asbestos covers the common parts, such as hallways, stairs, lift shafts, roof spaces and bin stores. Leaseholders and tenants can ask the freeholder, landlord or managing agent whether there is an asbestos register for those areas.
Any building built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos, and London has a great many of them. Before work that disturbs ceilings, walls, floors or boxed-in pipes, the areas affected should be checked, usually with a refurbishment survey or sampling.
The duty to manage doesn't apply inside individual let homes, but work you arrange in a tenant's home must be done safely, and homes must be fit to live in. Keep survey reports and share them with anyone doing work.
Whoever is responsible for maintaining non-domestic premises must manage asbestos: find it or presume it, keep a register, assess the risk and keep a management plan under review.
Asbestos is hazardous waste and can't go in household bins. Whether your borough's reuse and recycling centre accepts small amounts from householders, and what it charges, varies. Find your council through GOV.UK's asbestos in your home page. Asbestos removed by a contractor is their waste to dispose of.
Before you hire anyone, see how to check a contractor or surveyor.
Sources: HSE: duty to manage, HSE asbestos FAQs, HSE EM9. Last reviewed September 2026.
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