In its announcement dated 1 April 2026, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) explained that inspectors check asbestos management during visits to premises and construction sites. For London property owners, landlords and facilities managers, the message is to maintain effective controls, monitoring and communication throughout the life of the building.
Under Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, the duty to manage asbestos applies to people who have responsibility for maintenance and repair of non-domestic premises. It also applies to common areas of domestic buildings, such as corridors, stairwells, lift shafts and shared plant areas. The aim is to identify asbestos-containing materials, understand their condition, control the risk of disturbance and keep the information up to date.
What HSE says dutyholders should have in place
HSE’s 2026 inspection messaging highlights four core actions:
- Arrange an asbestos survey, or review an existing survey.
- Create an asbestos register and assess the risk.
- Prepare an asbestos management plan.
- Put that plan into action and keep it under review.
These steps reflect the wider requirements in the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and HSE guidance. A survey is therefore only one part of the management process. The survey findings must be turned into a working system that informs maintenance teams, contractors and anyone else who could disturb asbestos-containing materials.
1. Check whether your asbestos survey is still suitable
A common weakness is relying on an old report without checking whether it still reflects the building, its use or its condition. If there have been alterations, changes of occupancy, water damage, deterioration, intrusive maintenance or refurbishment since the survey was completed, the information may need to be reviewed. Our asbestos survey report guide explains the scope, findings, limitations and other information that should be checked before relying on an existing report.
For normal occupation and routine maintenance, a management survey is generally used to locate, as far as reasonably practicable, asbestos-containing materials that could be disturbed during normal use and foreseeable maintenance.
Before work that will disturb the fabric of the building, the survey type must match the purpose and affected areas. For planned alterations, see our refurbishment asbestos survey service; for demolition, see our demolition asbestos survey service. HSE guidance distinguishes these more intrusive survey purposes from routine management surveying.
2. Make sure your asbestos register is usable
An asbestos register should be more than a document stored in a folder. It should clearly record the known or presumed location and condition of asbestos-containing materials and be accessible to those who need the information.
If you already have survey data but no practical register, our guide to the asbestos register in London explains how survey findings should support day-to-day risk management.
3. Review the condition of known asbestos-containing materials
Asbestos that is in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed can often be managed in place. The risk changes if materials become damaged, deteriorate, are exposed to vibration, suffer water ingress or are located where maintenance work is likely.
Dutyholders should therefore have a system for periodic inspection and reassessment. The frequency will depend on the material, location, condition and likelihood of disturbance. If the condition changes, the management plan should be updated and appropriate action considered.
4. Confirm that contractors receive asbestos information before work starts
One of the most important controls is preventing accidental disturbance. Electricians, plumbers, cable installers, decorators, HVAC engineers and other trades may all drill, cut, remove panels or access concealed spaces.
Before work starts, relevant asbestos information should be provided to anyone who could disturb the building fabric. If the proposed work goes beyond the scope of the existing survey, further investigation may be necessary before the work proceeds.
HSE also identifies inadequate information, instruction and training as a common weakness. Workers who may encounter asbestos need suitable awareness training. Awareness training alone does not qualify someone to work on asbestos-containing materials: that work requires task-specific training and appropriate controls.
5. Check whether planned refurbishment needs a different survey
A management survey is not automatically sufficient for refurbishment or demolition. HSE’s survey guidance distinguishes between management surveys and refurbishment/demolition surveys because the latter are designed to identify asbestos that could be hidden within the areas being disturbed.
Our comparison of management, refurbishment and demolition surveys explains their purposes, inspection scope and occupancy requirements.
If you are planning alterations, strip-out works, major mechanical or electrical works, structural changes or demolition, the asbestos information should be reviewed at the planning stage. This helps prevent work beginning on assumptions that later prove unsafe or incomplete.
6. Make sure the asbestos management plan is active
The management plan should explain how the risks from identified or presumed asbestos will be controlled. Depending on the premises, this may include:
- who is responsible for asbestos management;
- where the asbestos register is kept;
- how known materials are monitored;
- how contractors are given information;
- what happens before intrusive work;
- how damaged materials or emergencies are handled;
- when the survey, register and management plan will be reviewed.
A plan that exists only on paper but is not communicated or followed is unlikely to control the risk effectively.
7. Check competence when appointing surveyors and contractors
HSE guidance places emphasis on competence and quality assurance. When appointing an asbestos surveyor, dutyholders should look for appropriate training, experience, quality systems and evidence that the survey organisation is competent for the work being commissioned.
The scope should also be agreed properly. The surveyor needs enough information about the premises, areas to be included, planned works, access limitations and any existing asbestos records.
2026 asbestos-management checklist for London premises
| Check | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Survey | Correct survey type, suitable scope, current information and clear access limitations. |
| Register | Known and presumed ACMs are recorded with location and condition. |
| Risk assessment | Material condition and likelihood of disturbance have been considered. |
| Management plan | Responsibilities, controls, monitoring and review arrangements are documented. |
| Contractor information | Relevant asbestos information is provided before maintenance or intrusive work starts. |
| Refurbishment work | Existing survey information is checked to confirm whether a refurbishment/demolition survey is required. |
| Review | Information is updated when circumstances or building conditions change. |
What happens if asbestos is found?
Finding asbestos does not automatically mean it must be removed. The correct action depends on its type, condition, location and likelihood of disturbance. Some materials can remain in place under an effective management plan; damaged or high-risk materials may require repair, encapsulation or removal by an appropriately competent contractor.
If you are uncertain about the condition or risk, an asbestos risk assessment can help clarify the next steps.
Why this matters now
HSE’s 2026 campaign shows that asbestos management remains an active enforcement priority. The regulator has specifically reminded dutyholders to review surveys, maintain registers, write management plans and ensure those plans are implemented. Recent HSE enforcement cases have also reinforced the importance of obtaining suitable asbestos information before work that may disturb building materials begins.
The practical lesson is simple: do not wait for an inspector, a refurbishment project or an accidental disturbance to discover that your asbestos information is incomplete.
Need an asbestos survey or review in London?
If you manage a commercial, public, industrial or multi-occupancy property in London and need to review your existing asbestos information, commission a new survey or prepare for planned works, you can request a quote or contact Asbestos London Survey.
Official guidance: HSE, Asbestos: The Survey Guide (HSG264) and Managing and Working with Asbestos (L143).
This article is general information and does not replace a site-specific assessment or legal advice.