Asbestos surveys and removal in Bushey and Radlett

What are the homes like?

Bushey and Radlett lie on the southern edge of Hertfordshire, close to the London boundary. Bushey grew from a village into a suburb in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and WD23 now mixes Victorian and Edwardian houses, interwar semis, post-war estates and blocks of flats, with larger detached homes on the higher ground at Bushey Heath.

Radlett developed after its railway station opened in the Victorian era, and much of it is made up of large detached houses on leafy roads, from Edwardian villas to homes built in recent decades. WD7 also includes Shenley, a village that has grown considerably in recent decades.

Why do rebuilds and big extensions matter?

Large houses in both places are often extended, remodelled or knocked down and replaced. Each of these jobs disturbs the existing structure, and any house built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos somewhere. A refurbishment and demolition survey before work starts is the way to find it, and before demolition the survey should cover the whole building.

Typical finds in homes of the 1950s to the 1980s, and in older houses altered during those years, include:

• boards around boilers, in cupboards and lining garage ceilings
• textured coatings on ceilings
• floor tiles and adhesive
• cement soffits, roof sheets and flue pipes

What should I ask before work starts?

If you are using a builder or architect, ask who is arranging the asbestos survey and whether its results will go to every contractor on site. Ask also how any asbestos found will be dealt with, and whether licensed work is likely to be needed, since that needs at least 14 days' notice to the enforcing authority.

What about flats and shared buildings?

Bushey in particular has many purpose-built blocks and older houses converted into flats. The freeholder or managing agent is responsible for asbestos in shared areas such as hallways, stairs, roof spaces and garage blocks, and should hold a record of it. Leaseholders planning work inside their own flat can ask for that record too.

What about shops and offices?

Shops on the high streets and offices in converted houses count as non-domestic premises. Whoever maintains them has a duty to manage asbestos. That includes keeping a written record of any asbestos found and telling contractors about it before they start, whether the job is a new shop front, rewiring or simply fixing a sign to the wall.

Which council covers the area?

Hertsmere Borough Council covers both Bushey and Radlett. For household asbestos waste, read Hertfordshire County Council's guidance before you move anything.