Asbestos policy

Introduction

As your landlord, we are committed to ensuring your home remains safe. Part of this commitment is around managing the risk around asbestos that may be in your home. This policy explains how we do this. 

Our commitment to you

We will do everything we can to manage the risks around asbestos in our homes, to keep you, your household, our staff and contractors safe.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a general name given to several naturally occurring fibrous minerals that have crystallised to form fibres. Asbestos fibres do not dissolve in water or evaporate, they are resistant to heat, fire, chemical and biological degradation and are mechanically strong. It was predominantly used in the 1950s through to the 1980s in the building of homes due to its fire resistant nature. Its use was banned in 1999, however it remains in a large number of buildings, including our homes.

Breathing in asbestos fibres can cause health problems, especially over a long period of time. It can result in lung disease. It affects people more seriously when they have been working with it for a significant period of time.

Asbestos in your home is perfectly safe, as long as it is not disturbed.

Should you have any concerns with exposed asbestos please contact us immediately.


Our approach to managing asbestos 

We use a risk-based approach to managing asbestos, looking at every home individually. We have surveyed every home to assess whether asbestos is present and where in the home it is. This means we can tell our contractors so that they can carry out work safely.  

If changes are made to your home by us, we record them and note any changes to the asbestos risks.

We will only use competent employees, contractors and specialist providers to carry out works in our homes and will ensure they work according to our policies and procedures, as well as adhering to all legislation and industry best practice.

We use independent specialist auditors to carry out monthly checks to ensure our properties are safe.

We also report monthly to our Directors team and Board on the safety of asbestos in our homes.

 

What does this mean for you?

When you move into your home you will be given a copy of the asbestos register report which details exactly where any asbestos may be in your home, any risk it presents and what we do to manage any risks.

We will also ensure that we share this information with any of our contractors who carry out work on your home. You can be sure that all our contractors are appropriately qualified and competent and they will use safe-working practices. Where necessary, we will use specialists to support asbestos management work.

All work to your home will be carried out in accordance with legal requirements and recognised industry standards.

Wherever possible, we will safely remove asbestos when doing any planned maintenance works, such as putting in new kitchens or bathrooms.

What is an asbestos survey?

An asbestos survey finds out where asbestos is, as well as what type it is and what condition it is in. It also helps us to know how likely it is to be damaged, disturbed or worked on in the future. 

We hold all this information on a database and make it available to staff and contractors to ensure any work done to your home prevents unnecessary disturbance of the asbestos and is done safely. 

Repairs and planned works in your home

If any works we do to your home are likely to disturb asbestos, we will instruct a competent asbestos surveying company to carry out a survey in accordance with Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance. 

Following an inspection or a survey, we will assess the risks. These risk assessments will help in deciding what, if any, action is appropriate to deal with the presence of asbestos. 

We will always be open and transparent you with and keep you informed of the findings, any planned work and the action we will take.

Your responsibilities 

You have a responsibility to tell us about any repairs needed to your home as soon as possible. You can do this by calling us on 01733 385000 24/7. You can also report repairs that are not emergencies through MyCKH or by speaking to your Scheme or Temporary Manager if you live in Retirement Housing or Temporary Accommodation.

If you have any concerns about asbestos in your home, please speak to us.

You should not carry out any changes to the fabric of your home without speaking to us and getting permission first.

 

Further information:

Who is responsible for managing Gas Safety?

Key roles and responsibilities for this policy are defined as:

  • The Executive Director of Corporate Services is responsible for this policy and is the nominated duty holder for asbestos management. 
  • The Assistant Director of Asset Management is responsible for ensuring we adhere to the standards in this policy. 

Legislation and regulation

This policy is written in accordance with the following regulatory and legislative requirements:

  • Safety and Quality Standard.
  • Transparency, Influence and Accountability Standard.
  • Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. 
  • Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. 
  • Housing Act 2004, including the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). 
  • Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 
  • Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012
  • Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
  • Equality Act 2010. 

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We understand that some residents might have unique situations, such as medical conditions, disabilities, or vulnerabilities, which may require us to adjust how we provide our services. This commitment aligns with the Equality Act 2010. We also recognise that disabilities or other challenges can be hidden or temporary. Please inform us about any additional needs you have, and to update us if these needs change.

For further information please see our Residents Preference Strategy

Information sharing

Cross Keys Homes has an information sharing agreement with key agencies and contractors to share information in relation to the delivery of our services. Information shared must be relevant, and the Data Protection Procedure adhered to when handling data. You can find more information about how we manage your data in our Transparency and Privacy Policy.

Monitoring and review

The Asbestos Policy was written by the Assistant Director of Asset Management and approved by the Executive Director of Corporate Services in January 2026 and will be reviewed annually - next review January 2027.


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