If you are buying an office, shop, warehouse or other commercial property in London, asbestos should form part of your building due diligence where the age and construction of the premises make asbestos-containing materials a possibility. An asbestos survey is not automatically a legal requirement simply because a property is being sold, but it can provide important information before you take on ownership, maintenance responsibilities or refurbishment plans.
The legal position becomes especially important after completion. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the duty to manage asbestos applies to non-domestic premises and normally rests with the person or organisation responsible for maintenance and repair. The exact dutyholder can depend on ownership, tenancy and contractual arrangements.
Why check asbestos before completing a commercial purchase?
A survey can help a buyer understand whether asbestos-containing materials are present, where they are located, their condition and what further management may be required. This can affect future maintenance budgets, planned alterations and the information that must be given to contractors who could disturb the materials. If management information will be needed after purchase, see our asbestos register guidance and survey report guide.
For an older London property, relying only on a general building survey may leave unanswered questions. A specialist asbestos survey is designed specifically to identify or assess suspected asbestos-containing materials. HSE guidance explains that asbestos surveys are used to support asbestos registers and management plans and to identify hidden materials before refurbishment or demolition work.
Documents to request from the seller
Before commissioning new work, ask whether the seller or managing agent already holds an asbestos register, management survey, management plan, laboratory certificates, previous removal records or refurbishment surveys. Existing information may be useful, but it should be checked for scope, age, limitations and whether it covers all areas you will be responsible for.
- Current asbestos register and management plan
- Previous management or refurbishment/demolition surveys
- Laboratory sample results and removal documentation
- Plans showing inaccessible or excluded areas
- Records of significant refurbishment since the last survey
Which type of asbestos survey may be appropriate?
| Situation | Typical survey consideration |
|---|---|
| Normal occupation and ongoing management | A management survey is intended to support routine asbestos management in occupied premises. |
| Planned refurbishment | A refurbishment survey should cover the areas that will be disturbed by the proposed work. |
| Demolition | A demolition survey is intrusive and is intended to identify asbestos that could be disturbed during demolition. |
If you are unsure which survey fits your project, see our guide to management surveys versus refurbishment and demolition surveys.
Buyer’s asbestos due-diligence checklist
- Confirm the construction date and major refurbishment history of the property.
- Request all existing asbestos records from the seller or managing agent.
- Check whether previous surveys covered the whole property and note excluded areas.
- Decide whether your intended use or planned works require a different survey scope.
- Use a competent asbestos surveyor and ensure suspected materials are sampled where appropriate.
- Review any identified asbestos before agreeing refurbishment budgets or contractor programmes.
- After completion, make sure the asbestos register and management arrangements reflect your responsibilities.
Budgeting for the purchase
Survey cost varies according to property size, survey type, access, sampling and urgency. The lowest quotation is not always the most useful if important areas are excluded. Our separate guide explains the main factors affecting asbestos survey costs in London.
It is also sensible to treat the survey and any later remedial work as separate decisions. Finding asbestos does not automatically mean that it must all be removed. Materials in good condition may sometimes be managed in place, depending on risk and future plans.
Commercial property transaction and tenancy guidance
Asbestos information can also become important when responsibility for commercial premises changes or when works are planned around a tenancy.
- Asbestos survey checks before leasing commercial property in London
- Asbestos and commercial dilapidations, strip-out and reinstatement
- Asbestos checks between commercial tenancies
- Commercial property asbestos management guide
- How to read an asbestos survey report
- Asbestos register guidance for managed premises
Planning a Commercial Property Purchase in London?
If you need an asbestos survey before purchase, occupation or planned refurbishment, request a scope and quotation based on the property and your intended works.
2 Responses