Purchased flat - discovered asbestos

deexyap

Hi,

I have moved into a flat that I have purchased for about a month.

Today we got a contractor in to do some work in the utility room, and he discovered what he believes is asbestos. It's getting tested today and we'll find out tomorrow.

I am just wondering in such a case, is there anything I can do to protect myself from bearing this unforeseen cost? The home report did not mention asbestos at all.

Would this be covered by Buildings insurance? By the surveyors? By the sellers?

Obviously everyone is going to try to pass ball on the blame. But what are my rights? Who is liable?

missprice

How old is the flat and who is testing the possible asbestos?
Although it can be dangerous its also common, pretty sure my 34 year old house has some asbestos somewhere, and I know the 90 year old house I bought recently definitely has some.

Its not prohibitively expensive to remove. Usually it has to be triple bagged and taken to a tip that can deal with it.

anotherbaldrick

Did you have a full structural survey or a Building Society valuation survey, where and what is the asbestos concerned. If sealed and not disturbed not always a problem.

deexyap

Now some lead piping was discovered under the bathtub. It is about 15-20cm in length and runs in the toilet only it seems. The kitchen supply seems to be completely PVC / copper.

The survey was carried out by the sellers and were done by Murray & Muir Chartered Surveyors.

Right now the asbestos that was discovered is just a sheet under the vinyl flooring in the utility room. Contractor has advised that it shouldn't cost too much to remove.

I have read online in some places that the cost can be borne by insurance - is this the buildings insurance or the contents insurance? Or am I supposed to buy some other form of insurance?

This is my first ever flat, I'm slowly learning...

EDIT: The flat is in an old Glasgow tenement, probably built circa 1900

Ebe_Scrooge

deexyap wrote: »

I have read online in some places that the cost can be borne by insurance - is this the buildings insurance or the contents insurance? Or am I supposed to buy some other form of insurance?

Lead piping - no problem at all if it's not supplying drinking water.

Insurance - it *may* cover the removal of the asbestos, but you'd have to check your policy or phone them up. You wouldn't be able to take out new insurance now specifically to cover this - no insurance would cover you for "known pre-existing conditions".

And just to allay any fears you may have - asbestos sheets are not in the least bit dangerous as they are. It's the dust that can cause problems, and that only occurs when the sheets are broken up.

societys_child

. . . and millions of homes have lead piping.

Every house I've owned has had a lead mains supply.
Next door neighbour just had a meter installed, the water company connected it to the outdoor, lead, mains supply pipe . . .

Plumber90

Asbestos only got banned in the year 2000 so anything built up until that year could contain it, I really wouldn't worry about it, and you can't try and pass the blame on to anyone it's just one of those things.

The lead main is absolutely nothing to worry about, I can almost guarentee most people will have drunk water that has been through a lead water main at some point in their life.