Painting Asbestos-Containing Materials in London Properties

Asbestos in London's Housing Stock

Asbestos was used widely in UK construction from the 1940s through to its complete ban in 1999. London's housing stock — particularly the large volume of mid-century maisonettes, mansion flats, and infill housing built across Pimlico, Fulham, Islington, and Hackney during the post-war decades — contains significant quantities of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).

For homeowners, landlords, and decorators working in London, understanding where asbestos is likely to be found and what to do when it is encountered is not an optional extra. It is a legal and safety requirement.

Where Asbestos Is Commonly Found

The most relevant materials for decorators are:

Textured coatings. Artex and similar products applied to ceilings and walls before 2000 commonly contained chrysotile (white) asbestos. The material is safe when intact and undisturbed, but sanding, scraping, or machining it is illegal without a licensed contractor.

Floor tiles. Vinyl floor tiles, particularly 9-inch square tiles in kitchens, hallways, and bathrooms, commonly contained asbestos. The adhesive used to fix them (black "cutback" adhesive) also frequently contained asbestos.

Insulating board (AIB). Used extensively as ceiling tiles, partition panels, and behind electric storage heaters. This is a higher-risk material and disturbing it in any way requires a licensed contractor.

Pipe lagging. In older London properties with original plumbing or heating systems, pipe insulation may be asbestos-based.

Roof materials. Asbestos cement was used in garage roofs, outbuildings, and flat roof details across many London properties.

The Duty to Manage

For residential properties used as dwellings, there is no statutory duty on homeowners to identify and manage ACMs in the same way as exists for commercial premises under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. However, landlords letting residential properties do have responsibilities where common areas (shared hallways, plant rooms, roof spaces) are concerned.

More practically, any contractor working in a building built before 2000 must not carry out work that disturbs suspected ACMs without first establishing whether asbestos is present. For decorators, this means: if you suspect a material may contain asbestos, stop work, do not disturb the material, and arrange testing.

When Painting Over Is Appropriate

Painting over intact, well-bonded ACMs is the safest and most legally straightforward approach where the material is:

• In good condition — not friable, flaking, or damaged
• Not in an area subject to impact or abrasion (traffic areas, edges of furniture)
• In a location where it will not need to be disturbed for maintenance, installation, or renovation

Textured ceilings in good condition are the most common scenario. A ceiling Artex that is sound, firmly bonded, and free of damage can be carefully overcoated with paint using a roller — no sanding, no scraping. This is a legitimate management option that is widely practised across London.

The critical requirement is that the surface must not be sanded or abraded as part of preparation. If the existing paint is flaking, the correct approach is to stabilise it with a PVA wash or suitable consolidant — not to sand it back.

When to Encapsulate

Encapsulation means applying a specialist coating that binds and seals the surface of the ACM, reducing the risk of fibre release. It is distinct from standard decoration and is an approved management strategy under the HSE's guidance.

Specialist encapsulants are formulated to:

• Penetrate and bind friable or loosely bonded surfaces
• Provide a more durable and resistant surface than standard paint
• Clearly mark that the substrate is an ACM (some products are tinted for this purpose)

Encapsulation is appropriate where:

• The ACM surface shows early signs of deterioration but is not yet requiring removal
• The material is in a location subject to occasional, low-level disturbance (e.g. a ceiling above a kitchen where steam affects the surface)
• A surveyor has recommended encapsulation as part of an asbestos management plan

Encapsulation does not eliminate asbestos — it manages it in place. The material remains present and must be disclosed in any property sale, and must be managed in any subsequent renovation work.

When Removal Is Required

Licensed removal by a contractor registered with the Health and Safety Executive is required when:

• The ACM is deteriorating significantly and encapsulation is not practical
• Renovation work requires access to the area behind or beneath the ACM
• Demolition of the structure containing the ACM is planned

The HSE maintains a public register of licensed asbestos removal contractors. In London, there are numerous licensed operators, and quotes are typically obtained for specific scopes of work following a refurbishment asbestos survey.

Do not attempt to remove asbestos-containing materials yourself. The Health and Safety at Work Act and the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 make unlicensed removal of licensable ACMs a criminal offence. Fines and prosecutions have been brought against homeowners who have removed asbestos materials without the necessary licence.

Practical Advice for London Homeowners

If you are about to redecorate and suspect your property may contain asbestos:

1. Commission a survey from an accredited asbestos surveyor (UKAS-accredited laboratories and surveyors can be found on the UKAS website)
2. Wait for the results before any preparation work begins
3. Share the results with your decorator so they can plan accordingly

Reputable decorating companies working across central London — in Belgravia, Chelsea, Kensington, and Mayfair — will ask about asbestos before quoting on properties built before 2000. Any contractor who does not raise the question is not operating to current professional standards.

The cost of a domestic asbestos survey is modest relative to the consequences of getting this wrong. It is a straightforward, professionally managed process that protects both the occupants and the contractors working in your home.