Do You Provide Maintenance and Safety Reports? Here’s Exactly What You Get
If you manage or own a building constructed before 2000, asbestos is almost certainly present somewhere within it. The question isn’t whether to take it seriously — the law already answers that for you. What property managers genuinely want to know is: do you provide maintenance and safety reports, and what exactly do those reports cover?
The answer is yes. And understanding what’s included could be the difference between a well-managed property and a significant legal liability.
At Supernova Asbestos Surveys, we’ve completed over 50,000 surveys across the UK. We know what property owners need, what the regulations demand, and how to keep your building safe, documented, and fully compliant.
Why Asbestos Reports Are a Legal Requirement, Not a Choice
Asbestos was used extensively in UK construction right up until it was banned in 1999. Insulation boards, ceiling tiles, floor tiles, pipe lagging, textured coatings — it turns up in places people don’t expect.
When those materials are disturbed or begin to degrade, microscopic fibres become airborne. Once inhaled, they can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis — diseases that take decades to develop but remain incurable. Asbestos-related disease continues to kill thousands of people in the UK every year. This is not a historical problem. It is an ongoing public health crisis.
The Control of Asbestos Regulations place a clear legal duty on anyone who manages or has responsibility for non-domestic premises. That duty requires you to identify whether asbestos is present, assess its condition, and manage it in a way that protects everyone who works in or visits the building.
Failing to comply isn’t just negligent — it’s a criminal offence that can result in substantial fines and prosecution. The HSE enforces these obligations actively, and ignorance of the regulations is not a defence.
What Types of Maintenance and Safety Reports Do We Provide?
The type of report you need depends on what’s happening with your property. There are several distinct survey types, each serving a specific legal and practical purpose. Getting the right one matters — not just for compliance, but for the safety of everyone involved.
Management Surveys
A management survey is the standard survey for any non-domestic property that is occupied and in normal use. Its purpose is to locate asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) that could be disturbed during routine maintenance or everyday activities, and to assess their current condition.
The survey produces a written report detailing every ACM found — its location, type, condition, and a risk priority score. This feeds directly into your asbestos register and management plan, both of which are legal requirements under the Control of Asbestos Regulations.
The report is a living document. It needs to be kept up to date and made available to anyone who might disturb the materials, including contractors and maintenance staff. An asbestos management survey should always be followed up with regular re-inspections, because materials deteriorate and buildings change over time.
Refurbishment Surveys
Before any refurbishment or upgrade work begins, a refurbishment survey is legally required. This is a more intrusive survey than a management survey because it needs to identify ACMs in areas that will actually be disturbed by the planned work.
Surveyors will access cavities, lift floor coverings, open up ceiling voids, and inspect behind wall linings where necessary. The scope of the survey is defined by the scope of the planned work — so it’s essential that the surveyor understands exactly what the contractors intend to do before they start.
Without a refurbishment survey, a contractor cutting through a wall or drilling into a ceiling could unknowingly disturb ACMs and release fibres into the air. The legal and health consequences of that scenario are serious for everyone involved.
Demolition Surveys
If a building or part of a building is being taken down, a full demolition survey is required before any work starts. This is the most thorough and intrusive of all survey types — no areas are off limits.
An asbestos demolition survey involves destructive inspection techniques and sampling across the entire building. The results inform a full asbestos removal programme, which must be completed by licensed contractors before demolition can proceed.
Attempting demolition without this survey is a serious breach of the regulations and poses extreme risks to workers and the surrounding environment. There are no shortcuts here.
The Role of Re-Inspection Surveys in Ongoing Property Maintenance
A one-off survey is never enough. Once ACMs have been identified and a management plan is in place, the condition of those materials needs to be monitored regularly. This is where the re-inspection survey becomes essential.
Re-inspections are typically carried out annually, though higher-risk materials may need more frequent checks. The surveyor revisits each known ACM, assesses whether its condition has changed, and updates the asbestos register accordingly.
If deterioration is found, the management plan is revised to reflect the increased risk — whether that means encapsulation, repair, or full removal. Asbestos doesn’t stay in the same condition indefinitely, and what was low-risk five years ago may not be today.
Regular re-inspections are also your evidence of due diligence. If an incident ever occurs, your documented inspection history demonstrates that you took your responsibilities seriously and acted on the information available. That matters enormously from both a legal and insurance perspective.
Do You Provide Maintenance and Safety Reports Beyond Asbestos?
Asbestos surveys are our core specialism, but property safety doesn’t exist in isolation. Many of our clients also need to demonstrate compliance across other areas of building safety — and one of the most significant is fire.
A fire risk assessment is a legal requirement for all non-domestic premises and all residential buildings with common areas. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order places a duty on the ‘responsible person’ to carry out or arrange a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and act on its findings.
Our fire risk assessments cover the full range of fire hazards within a building — ignition sources, fire spread, means of escape, emergency lighting, fire detection systems, and evacuation procedures. The resulting report gives you a prioritised action plan, so you know exactly what needs to be addressed and in what order.
Combining asbestos and fire safety reporting through a single provider simplifies your compliance management considerably. One point of contact, consistent documentation, and a joined-up approach to building safety.
What a Good Asbestos Maintenance Report Actually Contains
Not all asbestos reports are created equal. A report that simply lists materials without context isn’t particularly useful for ongoing property management.
A well-constructed report should give you everything you need to manage your building safely and demonstrate compliance to the HSE or an enforcement officer. Here’s what a thorough report from Supernova will include:
- A complete asbestos register — every ACM identified, with its precise location, material type, and extent
- Condition assessment — whether each material is in good condition, damaged, or deteriorating
- Risk priority scores — based on the material’s condition, accessibility, and likelihood of disturbance
- Photographic evidence — images of each ACM in situ, referenced to a floor plan
- Sample analysis results — where bulk samples have been taken and analysed by an accredited laboratory, with full sample analysis documentation included
- Management plan recommendations — clear guidance on what action is required, by when, and by whom
- Re-inspection schedule — recommended timescales for future monitoring based on risk
The report should be produced in accordance with HSG264, the HSE’s guidance document on asbestos surveying. Any surveyor you commission should hold the appropriate BOHS qualifications (P402 as a minimum) and work for a company accredited by UKAS.
What Happens When Asbestos Needs to Be Removed?
Not every ACM needs to be removed immediately. In many cases, materials that are in good condition and unlikely to be disturbed are best left in place and managed. Removal is not always the safest option — the act of removing asbestos carries its own risks if not handled correctly.
However, when removal is necessary — because of deterioration, planned refurbishment, or demolition — it must be carried out by licensed contractors. Our asbestos removal service ensures that work is carried out safely, in full compliance with the regulations, and with proper air monitoring and waste disposal throughout.
The decision on whether to manage, encapsulate, or remove ACMs should always be guided by the findings of a qualified surveyor. Never make that call based on a visual inspection alone.
Legal Responsibilities: What Property Owners and Managers Must Do
The Control of Asbestos Regulations set out the ‘duty to manage’ asbestos in non-domestic premises. This duty falls on anyone who has responsibility for maintenance and repair of the building — whether that’s the owner, a managing agent, or a facilities manager under a service agreement.
The duty holder must:
- Take reasonable steps to find out if ACMs are present and where they are
- Presume materials contain asbestos unless there is strong evidence to the contrary
- Make and keep an up-to-date record of the location and condition of ACMs
- Assess the risk of anyone being exposed to fibres from those materials
- Prepare a written plan setting out how those risks will be managed
- Put that plan into action, monitor it, and review it regularly
- Provide information about the location and condition of ACMs to anyone who might disturb them
These aren’t suggestions — they are legal obligations. Non-compliance can result in improvement notices, prohibition notices, unlimited fines, and in serious cases, imprisonment.
Landlords of residential properties also have responsibilities. Where asbestos is present in communal areas or the fabric of a building, those areas fall under the same regulatory framework as non-domestic premises. If you’re a landlord and unsure of your obligations, speak to a qualified surveyor before assuming you’re covered.
How to Choose the Right Asbestos Survey Provider
There’s no shortage of companies offering asbestos surveys, but quality varies significantly. Here’s what to look for when selecting a provider:
- UKAS accreditation — the company should be accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service for asbestos surveying and analysis
- BOHS-qualified surveyors — individual surveyors should hold relevant British Occupational Hygiene Society qualifications
- Clear, detailed reports — ask to see a sample report before commissioning work; it should be thorough, clearly written, and include photographic evidence
- Nationwide coverage — if you manage properties in multiple locations, a provider with national reach is far more practical
- Responsive communication — you should be able to reach your surveyor with questions about the report after it’s delivered
Supernova Asbestos Surveys operates across the whole of the UK. Whether you need a survey in London, Manchester, Birmingham, or anywhere else in the country, our teams are on the ground and ready to respond quickly. We hold full UKAS accreditation and all our surveyors are BOHS qualified.
The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong
Some property owners delay commissioning surveys because of the upfront cost. That calculation rarely holds up under scrutiny.
The cost of an HSE investigation, an enforcement notice, or a civil claim from a worker exposed to asbestos fibres will dwarf the cost of a properly conducted survey. Beyond the financial exposure, there is the reputational damage to consider — and the very real possibility of criminal prosecution for the individuals responsible.
Asbestos-related diseases have a long latency period. That means the consequences of today’s negligence may not become apparent for decades. By that point, tracing the source of exposure and establishing liability becomes straightforward — and the paper trail, or lack of one, will be central to any legal proceedings.
The most effective protection you have is a robust, up-to-date asbestos management programme. Surveys conducted on time, reports properly maintained, re-inspections carried out as scheduled, and contractors briefed before they start work. That is what compliance looks like in practice.
Keeping Your Asbestos Records Up to Date
One of the most common failings identified during HSE inspections is not the absence of a survey — it’s an outdated one. A survey carried out years ago, with no subsequent re-inspections and no record of changes to the building, offers very little protection.
Buildings change. Maintenance work gets carried out. Tenants make alterations. Materials degrade. Each of these events can alter the risk profile of ACMs within the building, and your records need to reflect that.
Your asbestos register should be treated as an active document, not an archive. It should be reviewed whenever:
- Any work is carried out that might disturb ACMs
- There is a change of occupancy or use within the building
- A re-inspection identifies a change in the condition of a material
- New ACMs are discovered that weren’t identified in the original survey
- The building undergoes structural changes or refurbishment
Keeping your records current isn’t just good practice — it’s a direct requirement of the duty to manage under the Control of Asbestos Regulations.
Ready to Get Your Maintenance and Safety Reports in Order?
Supernova Asbestos Surveys provides the full range of asbestos and building safety reports that property owners and managers need to stay compliant and keep people safe. From initial management surveys through to re-inspections, refurbishment and demolition surveys, fire risk assessments, and asbestos removal coordination — we handle it all under one roof.
With over 50,000 surveys completed nationwide, UKAS accreditation, and BOHS-qualified surveyors on the ground across the UK, we deliver the quality of reporting that protects your building, your people, and your legal position.
To book a survey or discuss your requirements, call us on 020 4586 0680 or visit asbestos-surveys.org.uk. Our team is ready to help you get the right reports in place — quickly, accurately, and fully in line with current HSE guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you provide maintenance and safety reports for residential properties?
Our surveys primarily cover non-domestic premises, where the legal duty to manage asbestos applies directly. However, landlords of residential buildings with communal areas — such as blocks of flats — also have legal obligations under the same regulatory framework. We can survey communal areas, stairwells, plant rooms, and the fabric of residential buildings where required. If you’re a residential landlord, contact us to discuss the specific requirements for your property.
How long does it take to receive an asbestos report after a survey?
Turnaround times depend on the size and complexity of the building and the type of survey carried out. For most management surveys, you can expect to receive your report within a few working days of the site visit. Where bulk samples have been taken for laboratory analysis, this may add a small amount of time to the overall turnaround. We’ll give you a clear indication of expected delivery times when you book.
What is the difference between a management survey and a refurbishment survey?
A management survey is designed for buildings in normal occupation and focuses on identifying ACMs that could be disturbed during routine maintenance. It is non-intrusive and is the standard starting point for most duty holders. A refurbishment survey is required before any refurbishment work and is more intrusive — surveyors will access voids, lift floor coverings, and open up areas that will be affected by the planned work. The two surveys serve different purposes and one cannot substitute for the other.
How often do asbestos re-inspections need to be carried out?
The Control of Asbestos Regulations require that the condition of known ACMs is monitored regularly. In practice, annual re-inspections are the standard expectation for most properties, though materials in poor condition or in high-traffic areas may require more frequent checks. Your asbestos management plan should specify the re-inspection schedule based on the risk assessment findings. Supernova can carry out re-inspections and update your register to keep your documentation current.
Can Supernova handle both asbestos surveys and fire risk assessments?
Yes. We provide both asbestos surveys and fire risk assessments, which means you can manage your key building safety obligations through a single provider. This simplifies your compliance record-keeping and ensures consistency across your documentation. Both services are delivered by qualified professionals and produce detailed written reports that meet the relevant legal requirements.