Asbestos

Asbestos in council housing

It is a naturally occurring mineral that has been used in a range of building materials to make them more rigid, resistant to fire.

It was used extensively as a building material in the UK from the 1950s to the mid 1980s, it can be found in many buildings that are owned by Luton Council.

People have worries about asbestos but left undisturbed it should not cause problems. However, care should be taken to prevent the release of asbestos fibres as they can cause serious damage to health.

Some items in your home that maybe made using asbestos include:

• Soffits, gutters and rainwater pipes
• Door header panels
• Garage and shed roofs and sides
• Door linings
• Textured coatings (Artex) to walls and ceilings
• Insulation panels in some storage heaters
• Bath panels
• Central heating flues
• Boxing and access panels
• Water tanks
• Floor tiles and bitumen adhesive

What to do if you think that you have asbestos in your home

• Do not carry out any work that may involve disturbing or removing asbestos materials
• Leave it alone. It is safe unless damaged or disturbed
• Never, sand, drill or saw asbestos materials
• Always seek professional advice if you need to work on it or near it.
• Do not attempt to remove asbestos lagging, spray coatings or insulation board by yourself, this work can only be done by a licensed contractor

Please note:

For general information before carrying out any additions or alteration works to your property you must contact the Tenancy Management Team on 01582 547304.

For specific information and advice regarding asbestos and asbestos survey results for your council home contact Building & Technical Services (BTS) on 0800 014 7333.

What to do if you think that you have damaged asbestos items in your home

You must call Building and Technical Services (BTS) on 0800 014 7333, to report that you believe that you have a damaged asbestos item in your home.

What we’re doing about asbestos in council owned housing

We carry out a rolling survey of council owned homes and manage our asbestos responsibly; only removing it when necessary, due to damage or work requirements.

Information on asbestos in properties is available to all staff prior to visiting your home so they can determine whether asbestos is present and what appropriate action they will need to take to protect you, your family and themselves.

For further details on asbestos in general, - you can contact the Health & Safety Executive.

Asbestos removal exceptions

You will be ineligible or have to pay if you:

• live outside of the borough
• if you own your own property
• if you live in privately rented accommodation