Asbestos survey - who pays?

[10kaDay]

Hello All, would be grateful for any advice

I am selling my victorian flat (i.e. converted house, not a block) and it seems that an asbestos survey & fire risk inspection are required, which my management company plan to charge me £700 for.

Is this necessary, and if so, is it my cost? Can I simply request that the buyers do not require or, it or ask them to pay?

I'm pretty annoyed to pay for something 2 weeks before I leave, and also believe its not necessary as the common area is literally a hallway of about 3x3 feet from front door of house to front door of my flat.

Thanks for any advice :)

Eh? You’re selling the flat through an estate agent but the rental management agent is insisting on a survey? For what reason, is it in relation to some selling regs?
I must be out of date or missing something as as far as I know any surveys required for a sale should be paid for by the buyers.

Who says they need it?
This is really a question for your solicitor.

Ask your solicitor if this is something you can get indemnity insurance for instead.

Thanks for the replies all - its a leasehold flat (London), so think the managing agent sees one last chance to skim off some commission

• this is what this agent is about, charges £700 pa for insurance which would cost £300 to buy without their brokers charges etc

@Thatwentbadly & @tinselvestsparklepants: I will speak to my solicitor to explain that i think its irrelevant.

I also called the buyers today (its a private sale), explained that I considered it a waste, source of delay and asked them to ask their solicitor to go without, or if they want to progress it to do it at their own expense..

Indemnity idea is a great one too. I think their solicitor is over-complicating things and they are also a bit clueless (i.e. i had to explain what asbestos was to the buyer), but that is another story