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Asbestos

As part of keeping our tenants safe, we keep a record of any areas of our homes that contain asbestos.

Asbestos in the home is not a problem as long as it isn't disturbed and is in good condition. It only becomes a problem when it's damaged or is disturbed, for example by drilling or sanding.

It was used in construction because of its strength and fire rating properties and if it's enclosed, painted or sealed, or inaccessible, it's perfectly safe.

That's why we want to let you know where it's located in your home, so that you do not damage it by accident or carry out any work that could disturb it.

Take a look at our asbestos leaflet for more information: Asbestos in your home: How to stay safe.

FAQs

No - asbestos is only a risk to health if it's in poor condition, broken, or if you're actually working on it. It's like live electricity – a constant presence and quite safe unless tampered with.

If the sheeting is not damaged, there's no danger from the asbestos contained within it.

Based on the information you can find online, we advise that you do not carry out DIY on any item if you think it may contain asbestos. Please contact us first to confirm.

The risk to householders from carrying out minor repairs is minimal. However, to avoid any risk, we advise you not to carry out any further work on items that might contain asbestos.

We'll either arrange for the item to be inspected to check whether there is a risk and/or replace the item in an appropriate manner.

No - replacement materials used by us and our contractors will not contain asbestos.

If asbestos is not damaged or disturbed, the safest thing to do is to leave it where it is. If there's some damaged asbestos in your home, we'll immediately assess the risk and then decide on the best course of action to deal with it to make sure you're not exposed to any potential risk.

No - we believe that most of our buildings, like the majority of buildings built before 1990, will contain asbestos, so there would be no point in moving you to another property which is also likely to contain asbestos.

Got another question?

Use this form to ask us anything we haven't covered in these FAQs - we'll get back to you with an answer, and we'll add it to this list if we think other tenants will find it useful as well.

By submitting this form you are confirming that you have read and understood the following data protection statement: The information you provide will be held by Red Kite Community Housing in accordance with our data protection policy, privacy notices and retention schedules; the Data Protection Act 1998; and the General Data Protection Regulation 2018. It will be used solely for the purposes described on this form. The information you provide will not be passed on to any third parties without your permission and Red Kite Community Housing does not sell any data to third-party organisations.

If you have any other questions regarding asbestos in your home, or are looking to do any decorating or DIY, please contact us.