Asbestos Survey in Tower Hamlets

A management survey (formerly Type 2) is the standard survey for managing asbestos during normal building occupancy. The surveyor inspects accessible areas and takes samples of suspect materials without causing significant damage. A refurbishment and demolition (R&D) survey (formerly Type 3) is required before any building work that will disturb the fabric of the building. It is more intrusive — the surveyor may need to open up ceilings, walls, and floors to access all areas that will be affected by the planned works.

Private domestic homes (owner-occupied houses and individual flats) are not covered by the duty to manage under CAR 2012. However, the common parts of residential blocks — corridors, stairwells, risers, plant rooms, and roof spaces — are non-domestic and are covered by the duty. Additionally, an R&D survey is legally required before any refurbishment or demolition work in any building, including a private home, if the property was built before the year 2000.

Any building constructed or refurbished before the year 2000 may contain asbestos. It was used in over 3,000 building products including textured coatings (Artex), floor tiles, cement roof sheets, insulation boards, pipe lagging, and fire protection materials. Buildings from the 1950s to 1980s are statistically most likely to contain significant amounts. Post-2000 buildings should be asbestos-free, as all forms of asbestos were banned in the UK in 1999.

The survey report will record the location, type, and condition of each asbestos-containing material found, along with a risk assessment score. Materials in good condition and in areas where they will not be disturbed are often managed in place — labelled, recorded in an asbestos register, and re-inspected periodically. Damaged materials or those in areas about to be refurbished will need removal by a licensed asbestos removal contractor. The report's recommendations will specify which materials require action and the appropriate priority.

An asbestos management plan does not have a fixed expiry date, but the condition of identified ACMs must be re-inspected at regular intervals — typically every 6 to 12 months for higher-risk materials. The overall management survey should be reviewed if the building undergoes changes, if materials are disturbed, or if the condition of ACMs deteriorates. As a practical measure, most managing agents commission a full survey review every 3 to 5 years.

Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy, Tower Hamlets — with its high concentration of tall residential buildings — has been a focus area for fire safety enforcement. The Building Safety Act 2022 applies to many blocks in the borough, and responsible persons face additional obligations around fire risk assessments (including Type 4 assessments for higher-risk buildings), external wall surveys, and fire door checks. The council's enforcement activity in the private rented sector is also among the highest in London. The general legal requirements for asbestos survey apply across England, but London Borough of Tower Hamlets may have additional conditions attached to property licences or local enforcement priorities that affect how the requirements are applied in practice.

Tower Hamlets is one of London's most densely populated boroughs, characterised by high-rise residential blocks, modern apartment towers in Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs, Victorian terraces in Bow and Mile End, and a large social housing stock across Bethnal Green, Stepney, and Poplar. Development has been rapid over the past two decades, with thousands of new-build flats added in tall buildings across the borough. The prevalence of high-rise living means fire safety compliance is a particular focus. Common property types that require this service include high-rise residential towers, modern Canary Wharf apartments, Victorian terraces in Bow and Mile End, social housing blocks. The specific requirements depend on the property type, tenure, and how the building is used.