What is the landlord’s legal duty to manage asbestos?
Under CAR 2012, the duty-holder for non-domestic premises and common parts of residential buildings must find out whether asbestos is present, assess its condition, keep a register, and manage the risk with a written plan. For individual rented homes, the duty of care to tenants covers the same ground in practice.
Do I need an asbestos register for my rental properties?
For HMOs and blocks with common parts, yes — the register and management plan are the core legal documents. For single lets, a management survey and its report do the same job: they tell you and your contractors what’s there before anyone drills a wall.
What happens if a tenant reports damaged asbestos?
Treat it as urgent: keep people away from the material, get it inspected and tested quickly, and repair, seal or remove based on the result. A documented, prompt response is also your best protection if the question of liability ever comes up.
Who pays for asbestos work — landlord or tenant?
The landlord (or managing agent as duty-holder). Asbestos is part of the building fabric, so assessing and managing it — surveys, testing, removal or encapsulation — sits with the owner, never the tenant. Council and housing association tenants: report the concern to your landlord in writing; they are obliged to assess it. Tenants shouldn’t pay for, or attempt, any asbestos work themselves.
