ASBESTOS Responsibilities for Landlords

If you rent out a property whether residential or commercial asbestos is something you need to have a handle on, not just for compliance, but for the safety of the people living or working there.

 

Residential landlords

As a landlord, you have a legal duty to ensure your property is safe and free from health hazards. Asbestos falls squarely into that category. While there's no blanket legal requirement to survey every rental property, if you know or reasonably suspect that asbestos-containing materials are present and in poor condition, you're expected to act.

 

Before carrying out any maintenance or renovation work, it's your responsibility to ensure that contractors aren't put at risk. That means knowing what's in the building before work starts, not after.

 

HMO and multi-unit properties

If you manage a house in multiple occupation or a block of flats, your obligations are more formal. Common areas, communal systems, and shared infrastructure all fall under your remit. An asbestos survey and management plan for these areas isn't just good practice, it's expected of you as a responsible landlord.

 

Commercial landlords

If you lease a building to a business tenant, responsibility for asbestos management typically falls on whoever controls the common areas and the structure of the building often that's you. Your lease agreement may set out how this is divided between landlord and tenant, but the duty to manage doesn't disappear because someone else is occupying the space.

 

Make sure your asbestos register is in place, up to date, and shared with tenants and contractors who need it. If the building is being refurbished between tenancies, ensure a survey is completed before work begins.