What Should Be Included in an Asbestos Report: A Complete Breakdown
An asbestos report is one of the most important documents a building owner or property manager will ever commission — and yet many people receive one without fully understanding what it should contain. Knowing what should be included in an asbestos report means you can hold your surveyor to account, make informed decisions about your building, and stay on the right side of UK law.
Whether you manage a commercial property, a block of flats, or you’re planning a refurbishment, this breakdown covers every component your report must include — and why each one matters.
Why Asbestos Reports Matter Under UK Law
Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, the duty to manage asbestos in non-domestic premises sits firmly with the dutyholder — usually the owner, landlord, or facilities manager. That duty cannot be fulfilled without a proper asbestos survey and a written report documenting the findings.
The HSE’s guidance document HSG264 sets out the standards surveyors must follow. A report that doesn’t meet those standards isn’t just unhelpful — it may leave you legally exposed if someone is harmed as a result of undiscovered asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) on your premises.
Getting this right from the outset protects your workers, your tenants, and your business.
The Type of Survey Must Be Clearly Stated
Before anything else, your asbestos report must clearly identify which type of survey was carried out. There are two main types, and they serve very different purposes.
Management Survey
A management survey is designed for buildings in normal occupation. It locates ACMs that could be disturbed during routine maintenance and day-to-day use. The surveyor will inspect accessible areas and presume the presence of asbestos in materials where sampling isn’t possible.
Refurbishment and Demolition Survey
A demolition survey is required before any structural work, refurbishment, or demolition takes place. It is far more intrusive — surveyors will access hidden voids, lift floors, and break into walls to locate all ACMs before contractors begin work. This type of survey is legally required before demolition or major refurbishment work.
Confusing the two — or receiving a management survey when you needed a refurbishment survey — can have serious consequences. Your report must state clearly which type was conducted.
What Should Be Included in an Asbestos Report: The Core Sections
A properly structured asbestos report will contain several distinct sections. Here’s what each one should cover.
1. Property and Survey Details
The report should open with a clear record of the property surveyed — full address, the date the survey was carried out, the name and qualifications of the surveyor, and the name of the accredited organisation that conducted the survey. The surveying company must hold UKAS accreditation; if this isn’t referenced in the report, that’s a red flag.
The scope of the survey should also be defined here — which areas were inspected, which were inaccessible, and why. Any limitations must be documented clearly so you know exactly what has and hasn’t been checked.
2. A Full Register of Asbestos-Containing Materials
This is the heart of the report. The asbestos register must list every ACM — or presumed ACM — found during the survey. For each item, the report should record:
- The location within the building (floor, room, position)
- The type of material (e.g. floor tiles, pipe lagging, ceiling tiles, textured coating)
- The likely asbestos type (chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite — where identified)
- The approximate quantity or extent of the material
- The current condition of the material
- Whether the material was sampled and analysed, or presumed to contain asbestos
Where laboratory analysis has been carried out through asbestos testing, the report should reference the sample numbers and results. UKAS-accredited laboratory analysis is the only reliable way to confirm the presence and type of asbestos fibres.
3. A Risk Assessment for Each ACM
Simply finding asbestos isn’t enough — the report must assess the risk each ACM presents. HSG264 sets out a scoring system that takes into account several factors:
- Material assessment score — based on the type of asbestos, the product type, and the condition of the material
- Priority assessment score — based on the location, how accessible it is, how likely it is to be disturbed, and how many people are exposed
These two scores combine to give an overall risk priority rating. The report should present these scores clearly for each ACM, so you can see at a glance which materials need urgent attention and which can be managed in place.
High-priority items — particularly damaged or friable materials — may require immediate action. Lower-priority items in good condition may simply need to be monitored and recorded in your asbestos management plan.
4. Photographs and Floor Plans
A good asbestos report is a visual document as well as a written one. Each ACM in the register should be accompanied by a photograph showing the material in situ, and the report should include floor plans or drawings that mark the exact location of every ACM found.
This is not optional — it’s essential. Without visual records and accurate location plans, the register becomes difficult to use in practice. Contractors carrying out maintenance work need to be able to identify ACMs quickly and accurately. Photographs also serve as a baseline record of condition, which is invaluable for future re-inspections.
5. Laboratory Sample Results
Where physical samples were taken during the survey, the report must include the full laboratory analysis results. These should show:
- The sample reference number
- The location from which the sample was taken
- The analytical method used
- Whether asbestos was detected, and if so, the fibre type
- The name of the UKAS-accredited laboratory that carried out the analysis
Where materials have been presumed to contain asbestos rather than sampled, this must be clearly stated. Presumed ACMs should be treated as confirmed ACMs for management purposes unless and until sampling proves otherwise.
6. Recommended Actions
Based on the risk assessment, the report should set out clear, prioritised recommendations for each ACM. These might include:
- No action required — material is in good condition and low risk; monitor and record
- Repair or encapsulation — material is showing signs of damage but can be sealed or enclosed
- Immediate removal — material is severely damaged, friable, or in a location where disturbance is highly likely
- Further sampling — to confirm or rule out asbestos in presumed materials
Where asbestos removal is recommended, the report should specify whether this requires a licensed contractor. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, certain high-risk work — including work with sprayed coatings, pipe lagging, and some insulation boards — must only be carried out by a contractor licensed by the HSE.
7. Surveyor Qualifications and Accreditation
The report must include details of the surveyor’s qualifications and the organisation’s accreditation. In the UK, asbestos surveyors should hold the relevant P402 qualification (or equivalent), and the surveying organisation must be accredited by UKAS to ISO 17020.
If the laboratory that analysed samples is also named, it must hold UKAS accreditation to ISO 17025. These accreditations are not formalities — they are the only way to ensure the survey and analysis have been carried out to a recognised standard.
The Asbestos Management Plan: What Comes Next
The survey report itself is not the same as an asbestos management plan, though the two are closely linked. Once you have your report, you are required under the Control of Asbestos Regulations to produce a written management plan that sets out how you will manage the ACMs identified.
Your management plan should reference the register in the report, set out who is responsible for managing ACMs, specify how and when re-inspections will take place, and explain how information about ACM locations will be communicated to contractors and maintenance workers.
The report provides the evidence base; the management plan is the action document. You need both.
CDM Regulations and Asbestos Reports
If your property is being refurbished, extended, or demolished, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations also come into play. Under CDM, the principal designer has a duty to gather pre-construction information — and asbestos information sits squarely within that requirement.
A refurbishment or demolition survey report must be provided to the principal designer and principal contractor before work begins. Contractors need to know the location and condition of all ACMs before they start breaking into walls, lifting floors, or removing fittings. Failure to provide this information can result in workers being exposed to asbestos without warning — which is both a health catastrophe and a serious legal breach.
The asbestos report effectively becomes a key piece of pre-construction information under CDM, and it must be specific enough to be genuinely useful to the construction team — not a generic document that leaves gaps.
Re-inspections and Keeping Your Report Up to Date
An asbestos report is not a one-off document. ACMs change condition over time — materials that were in good condition when first surveyed may deteriorate, be accidentally damaged, or be disturbed during maintenance work.
HSG264 recommends that ACMs in normal condition are re-inspected at least annually, and that the asbestos register is updated following any re-inspection. If you carry out any work that disturbs or removes ACMs, the register must be updated to reflect this.
If your original survey is several years old, or if significant work has been carried out since it was produced, you should commission a new survey or a formal re-inspection. An outdated report may not reflect the current condition of your building — and relying on it could leave you exposed.
Choosing the Right Surveyor
The quality of your asbestos report is only as good as the surveyor who produces it. When commissioning a survey, look for:
- UKAS accreditation to ISO 17020
- Surveyors holding the P402 qualification
- A clear methodology that references HSG264
- Transparent reporting of limitations and inaccessible areas
- UKAS-accredited laboratory analysis of samples
- A report format that includes all the components listed in this article
If you’re based in the capital, our team provides a full asbestos survey London service, covering commercial, residential, and industrial properties across all London boroughs. We also provide a dedicated asbestos survey Manchester service and an asbestos survey Birmingham service for clients across the Midlands and the North.
Wherever your property is located, the standard of the report you receive should be identical — fully compliant with HSG264, produced by qualified and accredited professionals, and detailed enough to support your legal duties as a dutyholder.
What a Poor Asbestos Report Looks Like
It’s worth knowing the warning signs of a substandard report, because unfortunately they do exist. Be cautious if your report:
- Contains no photographs or floor plans
- Lists ACMs without location details specific enough to find them
- Makes no reference to HSG264 or the material and priority assessment scoring
- Fails to state the surveyor’s qualifications or the company’s UKAS accreditation number
- Provides no laboratory analysis certificates
- Offers vague recommendations with no prioritisation
- Does not clearly identify which areas were inaccessible
If your current report has any of these gaps, it’s worth having it reviewed — or commissioning a new survey from an accredited provider. A poor report can give you false confidence, leaving genuine hazards unmanaged.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be included in an asbestos report under UK regulations?
A compliant asbestos report should include the survey type, a full register of all ACMs found (including location, material type, condition, and asbestos type), a risk assessment using the HSG264 scoring methodology, photographs, floor plans, laboratory sample results, recommended actions, and details of the surveyor’s qualifications and UKAS accreditation. Both the surveying organisation and the laboratory must hold current UKAS accreditation.
How often should an asbestos report be updated?
ACMs should be re-inspected at least annually, and the asbestos register updated following each inspection. The register must also be updated whenever ACMs are removed, repaired, or disturbed. If significant work has been carried out since the original survey, or if the report is several years old, a new survey should be commissioned.
Do I need a different type of asbestos report before refurbishment?
Yes. A standard management survey is not sufficient before refurbishment or demolition work. You need a refurbishment and demolition survey, which is far more intrusive and designed to locate all ACMs — including those hidden in walls, floors, and voids — before structural work begins. This is a legal requirement under the Control of Asbestos Regulations.
Can I use asbestos testing to confirm whether materials contain asbestos?
Yes. Where a surveyor presumes a material contains asbestos rather than sampling it, you can commission asbestos testing to confirm or rule out the presence of fibres. Samples must be analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory. Confirmed results should then be used to update your asbestos register.
What happens if my asbestos report recommends removal?
If the report recommends removal, you must engage a qualified contractor. For high-risk materials — such as sprayed coatings, pipe lagging, and certain insulation boards — only an HSE-licensed contractor can carry out the work. Your surveyor’s report should specify whether licensed removal is required for each ACM identified.
Get Expert Help Today
If you need professional advice on asbestos in your property, our team of qualified surveyors is ready to help. With over 50,000 surveys completed across the UK, Supernova Asbestos Surveys delivers clear, actionable reports you can rely on.
Call us on 020 4586 0680 or visit asbestos-surveys.org.uk for a free, no-obligation quote.