This page explains what asbestos is, where it might be found, why it can cause health problems, our duty of care and what you can do to stay safe.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral made up of small fibres. The mineral itself is very rarely found in its raw form and instead is present within building materials commonly called ACMs (asbestos containing materials).
Asbestos in the home
From the 1950s to mid 1980s, asbestos was widely used in the construction of homes.
Since 1976, British manufacturers had to display labels on their products with asbestos in them and since 1999, no building materials with asbestos have been used.
Asbestos in old home
Although asbestos is no longer used in building materials, it may be present in many kinds of older building materials found in your home, including:
- decorative textured coatings to ceilings and walls
- plastic and vinyl floor tiles
- roof tiles
- wall panels
- insulation panels in storage heaters
- packing between floors and partition walls
- bath panels
- toilet cisterns and seats
- some sink pads or sink protectors
- airing cupboard walls
- central heating flues
- corrugated cement garage or shed roofs
- gutters and drainage pipes
- pipe lagging
- textured paint and plastering
- cement fireplace surrounds
- cement water tanks
- asbestos insulation board (AIB) fire-lining to communal risers and gas meters
- fuse boxes.
Properties built from 2000 onwards should not contain asbestos.
There's more information on where you can find asbestos in the home 
on the HSE website. Use the ‘residential property’ option for a visual aid.
How you can stay safe
Our duty of care
Housing associations have a duty of care towards their tenants and others when there is asbestos in properties.
- The CAR2012 Asbestos regulations, whilst not applicable to residential properties, place a specific duty to manage asbestos in common areas.
- The Defective Premises Act 1972, whilst not specifically mentioning asbestos, requires landlords to take reasonable care to see that tenants and visitors are safe from personal injury or disease caused by a defect in the state of the premises.
- The Health & Safety at Work Act also places a duty on housing associations to make sure staff are not exposed to asbestos during their work and have access to suitable training and information on the presence of any asbestos they may encounter.
When asbestos is in good condition and not damaged it is not a danger.
Why can asbestos cause health problems?
Asbestos contains tiny fibres, many of which are too small for us to see.
They only cause health problems when building materials with asbestos start to crumble with age or the material that the fibres are in is disturbed. Then, the tiny asbestos fibres begin to float about in the air, and when we breathe in, they can travel into our lungs. The fibres can lead to lung diseases such as asbestosis or lung cancer.
Can I tell if I’ve got asbestos in my home?
No, it’s difficult to tell the difference between materials with asbestos and those that haven’t don’t contain asbestos. Many modern products look very similar to materials that have asbestos in them. Therefore, specially trained contractors need to come in and check for asbestos.
What should I do if I think I have asbestos in my home?
Don’t panic. Asbestos materials are safe if they remain sealed and are left undisturbed. It’s often best to leave materials that contain asbestos where they are. Do not tamper with or touch any asbestos material.
I think I've found asbestos what do I do?
- Do not attempt to clean it up or repair it yourself.
- Do not brush or vacuum as this will spread the fibres into the air.
- Email isha@isha.co.uk for advice.
How does ISHA manage asbestos in homes?
We have a duty to manage asbestos in the communal areas of our buildings. We also carry out surveys in individual homes when a property becomes empty or before our contractors do some types of works in your property.
We have several options if we find asbestos and will pick the best one for your safety and to ensure any works in your property can be completed. We can:
- leave it in place. This is often the best and safest option.
- removal it
- encapsulate it by applying a special coating to the material.