To be upset and angry over this?

[householdprobs]

I moved into my council home in 2011 so around 8 years ago. When I moved in I asked the council if there was an asbestos in the house ( it's a 1935 house) and I was given a survey from sample homes of the same time in my area. I looked at the report in my email and then just forgot about it. Then today i was trying to email the housing and find the address in my email as I was searching that email with report came up, I forgot about it over the years but referred back to it today. He report said that the asbestos is present in some tiles and on a sink pad. I was aware in my kitchen floor when I moved in there was some tiles of some sort so I just put ceramic tiles over them but the tiles that were in when I moved in were not in Great condition they were cracking on the edges. But I just left it. Then I checked under the sink thinking surely they wouldn't have left the sink in from decades ago with an asbestos sink pad on!!! I was told when I moved in this was a new kitchen because the last owner let the previous one go to a mess. Low and behind o check and that sink pad is still there !!! Asbestos was banned from 1984 so this kitchen has been in this house since before 1984 and they couldn't even Been bothered to change the sink in all that time!! I'm so angry and upset. This kitchen is disgusting ! All they do is screw cupboards back on. And also the tiles are worrying me now as well. They knew about these asbestos products but didn't inform me UNTILL I enquired yet they are aware of them ! Imagine I started to rip up the tiles to put my own on and didn't know, it's a good job I just out mine in top. I'm worried now because after pulling up the grip between living room and kitchen I could see the tiles some parts handing off.

@LuluJakey1 I am following the rules that's why I've asked for permission instead of just doing it

There won't be a new Kitchen scheme for at least a decade. There was one but I had to choose between a kitchen or bathroom but coz the bathroom was a state even worse than the kitchen I had to choose that. And I thought they would be putting a toilet upstairs ( we don't have one upstairs) and that's another reason why I chose that. But they didn't. And to all the people who keep saying ' the op is kicking off because she wants a new kitchen' is wrong but would you like to live with a rotting kitchen ?

@m0therofdragons can you tell me life about this cement I'm worried about it being present in this house as well. Or would that have shown I the the report too?

As long as you are not knocking downwalls you are allowed to put in your own kitchen. However if you move it has to come out as it is not a councl installation and you will be responsible for the cost of removing it and replacing it.

@sweeneytoddsrazor I understand this, and I'm prepared for that. I just want to be able to keep the costs down

Each property that was owned by aa public body, including HA should have been inspected for asbestos under the (I think) 1995 Act individually.
Asbestos in a property on its own is not necessarily a problem, it's if it becomes damaged or needs to be removed which is when it needs very careful handling.

Don't know much about asbestos, but I do know that anyone who you employ to work there and remove the asbestos will be obliged to report it to the council. You are supposed to cease work when asbestos is found. There are all sorts of safety precautions involved. Most builders etc. have Asbestos training. It can seriously kill you at 55 (my exes Uncle).

Random question, but how on earth could you tile over tiles!!!??? I'd have a nervous breakdown with just that!

@Wotev the tiles underneath are really thin and it's weird because they are mark actually like individual square tiles it's just this black flooring which has a name I can't remember but in the report it said 'tiles' do you know the floors in hospitals it's a bit like that but not as shiny or thick. So it was quite simple to put ceramic tiles over them! The only thing I'm worrying about is I want to now take my ceramic tiles off to replace them as some are cracked now but I'm worried I'll damage the asbestos ones underneath !

I meant 'not' not 'mark'

If the asbestos is in a safe condition the council will not touch it unless it is part of a planned removal. That is the advice with asbestos. It is when it is disturbed that it becomes dangerous.

My kitchen sink has a pad exactly like that under it to deaden sound. It is not asbestos. As you say the report you received 8 years ago was only a sample report, there is every possibility that the one under your sink is not asbestos either.

You would be putting your brother at risk if you allow him to remove it all. There are reasons for asbestos warnings.

@Wotev I don't mean remove the asbestos ones I mean remove my own ceramic ones that I had put on top but what I'm saying is I'm scared if I try to replace my own ceramic ones I'll damage the asbestos ones underneath
Maybe I worry to much I don't know

This is the legislation which appears to put the obligation on you

Regulations
The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012), Regulation 4 places a legal duty on those who either own, occupy, manage or are responsible for properties that have been built using asbestos. They are legally obligated to either manage the risk posed by this material or liaise and collaborate fully with whoever manages this risk.

In addition, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) place explicit responsibilities on clients to manage the risk posed by asbestos to health and safety.

Ultimately, clients have the final say on what course of action is taken. This means they are legally responsible for making suitable arrangements regarding the management of a project. They must also maintain and review these arrangements continually to ensure that all health and safety risks are managed correctly.

Clients are required to appoint competent individuals and provide them with adequate time, information and resources to complete the job to the necessary standards.

In the event that asbestos needs to be removed, the client must appoint a specialist in asbestos removal.

As clients are legally obligated to hire suitably skilled people to carry out the task, they must make adequate enquires to ensure that contractors are suitably resourced and fully capable of completing the work in a satisfactory manner.

@SalmonLeBon really? When I research they come up as asbestos. That's reassuring

I'd be trying to get the council to take this on. It really depends how old the kitchen is. Have you asked them to replace it?

@Wotev I have told them a number of times but they just to patch up jobs. The amount of holes that are in the sides of the lower cupboards due to three rehinging them is laughable

You'd be obliged to tell anyone working there that there is asbestos (as you know about it) so that they can take precautions.

If you don't like it,move? Rent privately and then you don't have to worry about an old kitchen?

@boomboomshakalack it's doesn't matter where you live, no one should have to deal with a rotten kitchen, just because it's social housing doesn't mean we should accept low living conditions

If you don't like it,move? Rent privately and then you don't have to worry about an old kitchen

Yep. Or buy your own house. That way you will be privvy to all searches regarding the property.

OP instead of venting, why not do some research into your query and take it from there

So when I told you that modern sinks have non asbestos deadening pads, youvsaid you’d done your research and yours was asbestos.

SalmonLeBon says hers is non asbestos and now you’re all “really?”

So have you researched it or not?

Jeez... Please read the report an ask!!

Of they why certificates this is to protect everyone's safety.... Or doesn't that matter.....?

You still want everything both ways.

You don’t want the additional step of permission from the council now...

Yet you’re worried about damaging asbestos in flooring underneath the tiles that you laid.

So do you want tenants to be allowed to refurbish or not?

World’s smallest violin that you didn’t get an innecessary upstairs toilet when you got a new bathroom. Why should your landlord pay to install that?

Your landlord should keep their property in good repair for you. Like - coming out to rehang kitchen cupboard doors, as they have. It’s a false economy that they’re using cheap hinges, which is a shame. But having multiple (internal!) hinge holes is NOT a reason for them fitting a new kitchen. Make do and mend - shiny perfect kitchens didn’t used to be the norm.

You don’t even have to pay an asbestos specialist to check whether you’ve caused an issue with your botched cracked ceramic tiles which you knew you’d laid over asbestos material - the council will come out with no charge to you.

Why not wait until after that visit before you start posting that you are “upset and angry”?