Do I Need an Asbestos Survey?

Yes — a refurbishment and demolition survey is required.

Under CAR 2012, a refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey must be carried out before any work that will disturb the fabric of a building constructed or refurbished before the year 2000. This applies whether the property is domestic or commercial. The survey identifies asbestos-containing materials in the specific area where work will take place, so your builders can proceed safely. Without this survey, you risk exposing workers and occupants to asbestos fibres — and the contractor may refuse to start work.

Recommended, though not always legally required for domestic sales.

There is no blanket legal requirement for an asbestos survey before selling a domestic property in Scotland. However, many buyers and their solicitors now request one, particularly for properties built before 2000. Having a survey ready can speed up the sales process and prevent delays caused by buyer concerns. If your home was built or significantly renovated between 1950 and 1999, a survey is a sensible precaution that reassures buyers and protects you from future liability questions.

Strongly recommended.

As a buyer, commissioning an asbestos survey before completing a purchase gives you a clear picture of what materials are present, their condition, and whether any remedial work is needed. This is especially important if you plan to renovate after purchase. Knowing the asbestos situation in advance helps you budget accurately and avoid unexpected costs. For properties built between the 1950s and 1990s — which covers a large proportion of Edinburgh and Central Belt housing — asbestos is commonly present in textured coatings, floor tiles, cement products, and insulation materials.

Yes — you have a legal duty to manage asbestos.

Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 places a duty on the person responsible for maintenance or repair of non-domestic premises to manage asbestos. This means you must identify whether asbestos-containing materials are present, assess their condition, prepare a written management plan, and make that information available to anyone who might disturb the materials — including maintenance workers, contractors, and tenants. A management survey is the standard way to fulfil this duty. If you have not had a survey carried out, you are likely not complying with the law.

Yes — you almost certainly need a survey.

If you rent out non-domestic property (offices, retail, industrial), the duty to manage asbestos under Regulation 4 applies directly to you. For domestic rental properties, while Regulation 4 does not apply in the same way, you still have a general duty of care to your tenants. If your rental property was built before 2000, a survey is the responsible step — it identifies risks, protects your tenants, and protects you from liability. Many letting agents and insurers now expect landlords to hold an asbestos survey for pre-2000 properties.

Do not disturb it. Get it tested.

You cannot identify asbestos by looking at it. If you have found a material you suspect contains asbestos — whether it is a textured ceiling coating, old floor tiles, cement board, or insulation material — the safest course of action is to leave it undisturbed and arrange for a professional to take a sample. We can attend your property, collect a small sample safely, and have it analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory. Results typically take two to three working days, or same-day for emergencies.

Yes — a refurbishment and demolition survey is required by law.

Before any demolition of a building constructed or refurbished before 2000, a full refurbishment and demolition survey must be carried out. This is a legal requirement under CAR 2012 and is enforced by the HSE. The survey must cover the entire building and identify all asbestos-containing materials present. Demolition contractors will not — and should not — begin work without this survey. The results determine what asbestos needs to be removed before demolition can proceed, and whether licensed removal contractors are required.

A survey is unlikely to be needed.

The use of asbestos in construction was banned in the UK in 1999. If your property was built entirely from new materials after this date, it should not contain asbestos. However, if the building was constructed using reclaimed or recycled materials, or if you are unsure of the exact construction date, it may still be worth checking. If you have any doubt, a quick test of suspect materials can provide certainty.

It depends on what you are disturbing.

Simple decorating — painting walls, hanging pictures, replacing light fittings — is unlikely to disturb asbestos if you are not drilling into, sanding, or removing materials. However, if your work involves removing textured coatings, taking up floor tiles, cutting into walls or ceilings, or disturbing insulation, you should have the materials tested first. The key question is whether your work will break, cut, sand, drill into, or remove a material that could contain asbestos. If in doubt, a quick sample test removes the uncertainty.