At a glance
Although the use of asbestos in buildings is now banned, older homes may contain it.
Exposure to asbestos can cause serious illnesses.
If you think you’ve found asbestos in your home, contact your local council for advice.
Home insurance is unlikely to cover asbestos removal.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a collective name for minerals once widely used in the building trade.
It was regularly used for fireproofing and cladding in houses built between 1930 and 1985 in the UK, especially in homes built from the 1960s and later.
Asbestos has thin, hair-like strands which help it to bond to other materials and make it heat and chemical-resistant.
Why is asbestos dangerous?
The problem with asbestos is that when it breaks up or deteriorates, the strands are released into the air.
If you breathe them in, they can cause serious conditions such as pleural thickening, asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma – another type of cancer.
Many asbestos-related diseases take a long time to develop and, sadly, once they’re diagnosed, it’s often too late for treatment.
Shockingly, although asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999, there are still more than 5,000 asbestos-related deaths a year in the UK, mostly of tradespeople who experienced long-term exposure.
That’s why it’s so important to know what to do if you think there’s asbestos in your home.
Could there be asbestos in my house?
There could be, if your home was built before 2000 (asbestos was fully banned in the UK in 1999).
Asbestos was commonly – and extensively – used in construction from the 1930s.
In 1985, the UK banned the use of amosite (brown asbestos) and crocidolite (blue asbestos), the two most dangerous forms.
Chrysotile, or white asbestos, continued to be used in homes until 1999, when it was added to the ban.
If you’re wondering if there could be asbestos in your home, as well as doing a visual inspection it’s worth asking your neighbours if they’ve found any in their homes.
If you live in a council house or in a former council home, it’s worth contacting your local authority too. It may have records detailing if asbestos was used to build your property and, if so, where it is.
Where am I likely to find asbestos in my house?
If you live in an older property, there are quite a few places you might find asbestos, both inside and outside. These include:
Artex ceilings – textured ceilings that were popular back in the seventies and eighties
Ceiling or roof tiles
Thermal insulation or lagging on pipes and hot-water tanks
Loose-fill roof insulation
In the toilet cistern
In bath panels
Vinyl floor tiles
Inside partition walls
In insulating board around your boiler
Interior and exterior window panels
Gutters and downpipes
In roofing felt
In asbestos cement roofs and panels.
Is asbestos always dangerous?
No. Asbestos that hasn’t been disturbed shouldn’t do any harm.
But when it ages or breaks down – during home renovations, for example, or if a building is demolished – it becomes extremely hazardous.
What does asbestos look like?
Asbestos used to come in three colours – blue, brown and white. Its fibres are often too small to see with the naked eye.
It can be hard to identify asbestos by colour alone. It looks similar to other building materials, and it’s often mixed with other materials or even in some cases sprayed on.
If you suspect that there may be asbestos in your house, don’t leave any room for doubt: call in a professional.
Does asbestos always need to be removed?
No. If the asbestos is in good condition and in a place where it’s not likely to be damaged, it can be safer to leave it where it is.
Sometimes a professional may recommend spraying the asbestos with a special coating or covering it to prevent it from getting damaged. Or you may just need to keep an eye on it periodically to make sure it’s not deteriorating.
If you have building or renovation work done, you’ll need to let the contractors know if asbestos is present to protect your family and anyone working on your property.
If you need to do repairs that are likely to disturb areas of asbestos, you may need the help of a specially trained and licensed contractor.
You should not try to remove asbestos yourself. If you find it, contact your local council for advice. You should also be careful if you’re doing DIY work in older properties, as you may inadvertently come across asbestos and break it up without knowing.
Who do I contact to get rid of asbestos?
Contact your local council. It should be able to recommend asbestos specialists who can carry out tests and, if necessary, remove the asbestos.
If you rent your home, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to either secure any materials containing asbestos or have them safely removed and disposed of.
Is asbestos removal covered by home insurance?
Under normal circumstances, your home insurance isn’t likely to cover asbestos removal from your house or flat.
But, it’s possible your buildings insurance may cover the safe removal of asbestos if it’s damaged or disturbed by an event your policy covers, such as a storm, fire or flood.
Policies vary so you’ll need to check with your insurance provider.
FAQs
How can I dispose of asbestos?
Contact your local council to find out about hazardous waste collection.
Never throw asbestos in your household bin – it’s hazardous waste and legally needs to be disposed of as such.
My house has asbestos. Can I sell it?
It’s not against the law to sell a house with asbestos. But if you know about the asbestos then you must tell the prospective buyer. Withholding the information is illegal.
You may find it’s less hassle to be open about it anyway. Chances are, it will show up in the survey, and you don’t want your buyer to pull out further down the line.
One solution could be to discount the sale price by the amount it will cost to have the asbestos removed.
Is asbestos still used today?
Asbestos is banned in over 60 countries, including all member states of the European Union, the UK, Australia and Japan.
However, despite the proven links between asbestos and fatal diseases, asbestos is still mined elsewhere in the world, with Brazil, Russia, Kazakhstan and China leading production.
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As well as writing for Churchill and Privilege insurance websites, Karen’s CV includes working with M&S, Debenhams, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis. With over 20 years of editorial experience for big household names she leads a talented content team with a focus on simplifying personal finance for everybody.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
Helen’s our resident home insurance expert, as the former Head of Home Insurance at Compare the Market. She's also experienced with car insurance and pet insurance from her previous roles across commercial, partnerships and as a freelance consultant, working with more than 100 insurers across a variety of insurance products.
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