Being made to pay asbestos removals & remedial works contract

Snow_white

I own a 50% share in my flat & pay rent & service charge on the rest. My housing association has already increased my service charge by £80pcm & has now sent a letter saying they want me to pay £250+ towards an asbestos removals & remedial works contract. My flat was built in 2007 so I don't see why I would need to pay for this. Can anyone please advise?

Le_Kirk

Strange that something built in 2007 should contain any asbestos since it was banned some twenty years (or more) before. I think it was still used in some forms but if that is the case, surely it would be non carcinogenic. I would be wanting to see the written results of a survey before parting with any cash.

Keep_pedalling

Snow_white wrote: »

I own a 50% share in my flat & pay rent & service charge on the rest. My housing association has already increased my service charge by £80pcm & has now sent a letter saying they want me to pay £250+ towards an asbestos removals & remedial works contract. My flat was built in 2007 so I don't see why I would need to pay for this. Can anyone please advise?

You are a part owner, and therefore are responsable for paying your share of any work that is required on your property. Aspestos removal is expensive so £250 does not exactly a rip off. Look on the bright side, if it was not removed it wiould make life more difficult for you if you ever triy to sell up.

Davesnave

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

You are a part owner, and therefore are responsable for paying your share of any work that is required on your property. Aspestos removal is expensive so £250 does not exactly a rip off. Look on the bright side, if it was not removed it wiould make life more difficult for you if you ever triy to sell up.

The OP wants to know where the asbestos might be; they are not questioning the terms of their ownership.

I don't know either, considering that something built in 2007 shouldn't have had any asbestos used in its construction.

There are one or two specialists who sometimes post here. Maybe they might have an inkling, but the fastest way to find out is probably to ask the HA.

barnaclebill

From the way it's written I suspect that the OP owns a newer place in an older development and he is upset that he is being asked for money towards the asbestos removal in the older development.

Wookey

The final ban on asbestos being used in any shape or form came in iirc around 1999, if i where you i would be asking serious questions of the builder/owner why it is present in something constructed upwards of 8 years later. I would also be getting onto local building control/planning and asking them as well.

Edit
Dug this up http://ibasecretariat.org/lka_uk_ban.php

Le_Kirk

barnaclebill wrote: »

From the way it's written I suspect that the OP owns a newer place in an older development ......

Now that makes sense.

littlerock

wouldn't the developer have had to clear it up as a condition of the new build?

Snow_white

It's not on an old development. It was built in 2007. I spoke to the housing association and they said its in case anyone dumps something containing asbestos and it has to be removed!

Doozergirl

*In case* someone dumps it?! The world’s gone mad!

I’d put a call into the Leasehold advisory Service and pen a strongly worded letter to the HA.