Buying a house with asbestos: what to do before you exchange
Your survey has flagged asbestos. Before you panic — or pull out — read this. In most cases, asbestos in a pre-1985 property is a manageable issue, not a deal-breaker. The key is knowing what type you are dealing with, what it costs to remove, and how to use that information in your negotiation.
Quick decision guide
Not sure which type you have? Our visual identification guide can help. Or call us — we can advise from a survey report description.
The reality of asbestos in UK housing
Most pre-1985 properties contain asbestos. Most are manageable.
The HSE estimates that around 1.5 million buildings in the UK contain asbestos. Asbestos was used in building materials from the 1940s until its full ban in 1999. Any property built before 2000 may contain asbestos-containing materials (ACMs), and the majority of pre-1985 properties do.
This does not mean every pre-1985 property is a hazard. The vast majority of domestic asbestos is in non-licensed materials — asbestos cement, Artex, floor tiles — that are stable when intact and straightforward to remove by a UKATA-trained contractor. The risk is not from the presence of asbestos but from its disturbance.
The problem for buyers is that asbestos in a survey report sounds alarming, and many buyers — and their solicitors — treat it as a reason to pull out without understanding what they are actually dealing with. This is often the wrong decision. A garage roof with asbestos cement sheets is a £1,200 job. Walking away from a property because of it may cost you far more in lost opportunity.
The right approach is to identify the type of material, get a written removal quote, and use that information to negotiate. We provide pre-purchase quotes specifically for this purpose — a written quote that you can present to the seller's solicitor as the basis for a price reduction or a condition of sale.
Common materials and what to do
The most common asbestos materials in pre-1985 homes — and your options
Costs are indicative for London. Actual costs depend on area, access, and condition. See our full cost guide for detailed pricing.
How to negotiate
Using asbestos to negotiate a better price — the right way
Asbestos is a legitimate basis for renegotiation. Sellers know it, and most are prepared for it. The key is to approach the negotiation with a written quote rather than a verbal estimate or a general statement that "asbestos will cost a lot to remove."
We provide pre-purchase quotations specifically for this purpose. We visit the property (or review the survey report and photos), provide a written quote for the removal work, and you present that quote to the seller's solicitor as the basis for your request.
You have two options: ask for a price reduction equal to the removal cost, or ask for the seller to arrange and pay for removal before exchange. The second option is often preferable because it means you exchange on a property that is already clear, without the management obligation.
When to walk away
Most asbestos issues are negotiable. But there are situations where the right decision is to walk away:
From our work
The Bermondsey buyer who nearly pulled out — and the Greenwich buyer who should have
Bermondsey — the right call
A buyer in Bermondsey received a survey report flagging asbestos cement on the garage roof and Artex on three bedroom ceilings. Their solicitor advised them to pull out. They called us instead.
We visited the property. The garage roof was in reasonable condition — no surface degradation, no moss. The Artex was intact and painted over. We quoted £1,100 for the garage roof removal and replacement with GRP, and £1,800 for the three bedroom ceilings. Total: £2,900.
The buyer presented the quote and asked for a £3,000 reduction. The seller agreed to £2,500. The buyer exchanged, we carried out the work in three days after completion, and they now have a property with no asbestos management obligation.
Greenwich — when to walk away
A buyer in Greenwich contacted us after exchanging on a 1950s commercial-to-residential conversion. The survey had flagged "possible asbestos insulating board in the airing cupboard and partition walls" but the buyer had not obtained a quote before exchange.
We surveyed the property after exchange. The AIB was present throughout — airing cupboard, partition walls in three rooms, and the ceiling of the ground floor hallway. The material was in poor condition. The removal required a licensed contractor. The total cost was £18,500.
The buyer had no recourse. The seller had declared the asbestos on the TA6 form. The lesson: always get a quote before exchange, not after.
Mortgages and asbestos
Can you get a mortgage on a house with asbestos?
Yes, in most cases. Mortgage lenders do not automatically refuse to lend on properties with asbestos. The key factor is whether the asbestos is in a stable condition and does not affect the structural integrity or habitability of the property.
Some lenders — particularly those offering products on older properties — may require a specialist asbestos survey as a condition of the mortgage offer. Others may require that removal is carried out before completion. In practice, this is most likely to be required where the survey has flagged licensable materials or materials in poor condition.
If your lender has flagged asbestos as a condition of lending, the most effective response is to obtain a written removal quote and present it to the lender alongside a timeline for removal. Most lenders will accept a condition that removal is carried out within a specified period after completion, evidenced by a waste consignment note and a completion certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Related guides for property buyers
Need a pre-purchase quote before you exchange?
We provide written removal quotes for property buyers — same day if needed. Use it to negotiate a price reduction or satisfy your mortgage lender.