Asbestos Management for Blocks of Flats
Full compliance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 - from surveys and registers to management plans and re-inspections - protecting your building and everyone in it.
Why Asbestos Management Matters in Blocks of Flats
Asbestos management block of flats is a critical legal and safety obligation for every freeholder and managing agent responsible for a residential building. Asbestos was used extensively in construction materials until it was banned in 1999, meaning any block of flats built or refurbished before the year 2000 may contain asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in its structure, communal areas, or building services. When these materials are disturbed or allowed to deteriorate, they release microscopic fibres that cause serious and often fatal lung diseases.
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 place a clear duty to manage asbestos on the person responsible for maintenance and repair of non-domestic premises, which includes all communal areas in a block of flats. At Block, we ensure that every building in our portfolio has a robust asbestos management programme in place, protecting leaseholders, residents, visitors, and contractors from exposure.
Our asbestos compliance programme is fully integrated with our wider block management services and building maintenance operations, ensuring that asbestos risks are considered before any maintenance, refurbishment, or improvement work takes place in the building.
The Duty to Manage Asbestos: Regulation 4 Explained
Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 establishes the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises. In a block of flats, this duty applies to all communal areas - hallways, stairwells, lift shafts, plant rooms, roof spaces, bin stores, and external structures. The asbestos duty holder is the person who has an obligation by contract or tenancy to maintain or repair the building. In most leasehold blocks, that person is the freeholder or their appointed managing agent.
Who is responsible for managing asbestos is a question we are asked frequently. The regulations are clear: the duty holder must take reasonable steps to find out whether asbestos-containing materials are present, assess their condition, presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence to the contrary, and prepare a written management plan. Where a Right to Manage company or residents' management company has taken over management of the block, the directors of that company become the asbestos duty holder and must ensure full compliance.
Failure to comply with the duty to manage asbestos can result in enforcement action by the Health and Safety Executive, including improvement notices, prohibition notices, and criminal prosecution. Beyond the legal consequences, poor asbestos management puts lives at risk. At Block, we take this responsibility seriously and ensure that every asbestos duty holder obligation is met promptly and thoroughly.
Asbestos Surveys: Management vs Refurbishment and Demolition
An asbestos survey is the starting point of any compliant asbestos management programme. There are two main types of asbestos survey, and understanding the difference is essential for freeholder responsibilities and duty holder compliance.
A management survey is the standard survey required for all buildings likely to contain asbestos. It locates asbestos-containing materials that could be disturbed during normal occupancy and routine building maintenance. The surveyor inspects accessible areas, takes samples for laboratory analysis, and records each material's type, location, condition, and risk score in a detailed report. This report forms the basis of the asbestos register and management plan.
A refurbishment or demolition survey is required before any work that will disturb the fabric of the building, such as major refurbishments, structural alterations, or demolition. This survey is more intrusive and identifies all asbestos-containing materials in the area where work is planned, including those within the building structure that would not be accessible during a management survey. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, this survey must be completed and its findings acted upon before work begins.
We coordinate all asbestos survey work through our network of trusted, UKAS-accredited specialists and ensure results are integrated into the building's fire safety and planned maintenance programmes, so that no work is undertaken without first considering asbestos risks.
The Asbestos Register and Management Plan
The asbestos register is a live document that records the location, type, condition, and risk rating of every known or presumed asbestos-containing material in the building. It must be kept up to date and made available to anyone who may disturb these materials, including maintenance contractors, leaseholders undertaking works within their flats, and emergency services.
The asbestos management plan sits alongside the register and sets out how each identified material will be managed. For most materials in good condition, this means monitoring through regular re-inspections. For damaged or deteriorating materials, the plan will specify remedial action such as encapsulation, repair, or removal by a licensed contractor. The management plan also establishes re-inspection schedules - typically every 6 to 12 months for higher-risk materials and annually for materials in good condition.
At Block, maintaining an accurate asbestos register and management plan is a non-negotiable part of our block management service. Every building we manage has a current register that is reviewed before any building maintenance work is instructed. This protects contractors, residents, and the asbestos duty holder from liability.
Common Locations of Asbestos in Blocks of Flats
Asbestos was used in thousands of building products, and many remain present in blocks of flats built before 2000. Understanding where asbestos-containing materials are commonly found helps managing agent teams, leaseholders, and maintenance contractors avoid accidental disturbance. The most common locations include:
Many of these materials are safe when left undisturbed and in good condition. The key to effective asbestos management block of flats is knowing exactly where these materials are, monitoring their condition through scheduled re-inspections, and ensuring that no maintenance or refurbishment work disturbs them without proper precautions. Our property managers are trained to check the asbestos register before instructing any work, and all contractors working on our managed buildings are briefed on the location of known asbestos-containing materials.
Frequently Asked Questions About Asbestos Management in Blocks of Flats
Does a block of flats need an asbestos survey?
Yes. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the duty holder of a block of flats must manage the risk from asbestos in all communal and shared areas. This requires an asbestos management survey to identify the presence, location, and condition of any asbestos-containing materials. The survey must be carried out by a UKAS-accredited surveyor and the results recorded in an asbestos register. Without a survey, the duty holder cannot fulfil their legal obligation to assess and manage asbestos risks in the building.
What happens if your flat has asbestos?
If asbestos-containing materials are found within a flat, the risk they pose depends on their type, condition, and location. Asbestos that is in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed, such as floor tiles or textured coatings, can usually be managed in situ through regular monitoring and re-inspection. If the material is damaged, deteriorating, or likely to be disturbed during maintenance or refurbishment, it should be removed or encapsulated by a licensed asbestos removal contractor. The managing agent should advise leaseholders on their responsibilities and ensure that any work within individual flats does not disturb asbestos-containing materials without appropriate precautions.
Is it a legal requirement to have an asbestos management plan?
Yes. Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 places a duty to manage asbestos on the person responsible for maintenance and repair of non-domestic premises, which includes the communal areas of a block of flats. The duty holder must assess the risk from asbestos, prepare a written management plan, and ensure that the plan is implemented and reviewed regularly. The management plan must record the location and condition of asbestos-containing materials, set out how they will be managed, and include a schedule for re-inspection. Failure to comply can result in enforcement action by the Health and Safety Executive.
Who is responsible for asbestos in a leasehold property?
In a leasehold block of flats, the freeholder or their appointed managing agent is typically the duty holder responsible for managing asbestos in the communal areas, including hallways, stairwells, plant rooms, roof spaces, and external structures. The lease usually places responsibility for the structure and common parts on the freeholder. Individual leaseholders are generally responsible for the interior of their own flat, but the managing agent should provide guidance on asbestos risks and ensure that any building works do not disturb asbestos-containing materials without proper controls.
Who is responsible for managing asbestos?
The duty to manage asbestos falls on the duty holder, defined under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 as the person who has the obligation to maintain or repair non-domestic premises by virtue of a contract or tenancy. In a block of flats, this is usually the freeholder or, where a management company has been appointed, the managing agent acting on the freeholder's behalf. If a Right to Manage company or residents' management company has taken over management, the directors of that company become the duty holders and must ensure compliance with all asbestos regulations.
Do you need an asbestos report for flats?
An asbestos report, produced following a professional asbestos management survey, is essential for any block of flats built or refurbished before the year 2000. The report identifies asbestos-containing materials in the communal areas, assesses their condition using a material assessment and priority assessment score, and recommends appropriate management actions. The report forms the basis of the asbestos register and management plan. It should be made available to anyone who may disturb asbestos-containing materials, including maintenance contractors, and must be reviewed and updated whenever the condition of materials changes or following any removal or remediation work.
Need Help With Asbestos Compliance in Your Block?
Whether you need an asbestos survey, a management plan, or ongoing re-inspections, our team will ensure your building meets every requirement of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation discussion about your asbestos management needs.