My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking? The only abestos I can
think of is four corrugated sheets forming the roof of the adjacent
brick shed, which is approximately 10 ft x 8 ft.

How much is this going to cost me? Should I get a second opinion? I
thought asbestos in sheet form, provided it is undisturbed, is
harmless.

MM

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking?

Of course not.

The only abestos I can
think of is four corrugated sheets forming the roof of the adjacent
brick shed, which is approximately 10 ft x 8 ft.

Could be that. Do you have any pre-1980 Artex?


How much is this going to cost me?

Nothing yet. The buyer is paying. It may even be a ruse by the
surveyor to put more cost into his job at the expense of the buyer.

Of course the buyer may then want to recover the extra survey cost
from you.

Should I get a second opinion?

Not yet. It won't make any difference at this point. You aren't
going to dissuade the buyer from getting his done, and if you make an
issue beforehand, it might give him the impression that you have
something to hide.

I
thought asbestos in sheet form, provided it is undisturbed, is
harmless.

There are various types and most are.

If it were me, I would do nothing, ask to see a copy of the
environmental report and then decide what to do. If it does relate
to the shed and the buyer doesn't like it then it could be a game to
get it fixed at your expense.

Equally, it could be people covering their backsides because of the
publicity, some warranted and some not about asbestos.

Try asbestos you can not to worry - hard though that may be. Now is
the time to be cool and not make any waves.


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking? The only abestos I can
think of is four corrugated sheets forming the roof of the adjacent
brick shed, which is approximately 10 ft x 8 ft.

How much is this going to cost me? Should I get a second opinion? I
thought asbestos in sheet form, provided it is undisturbed, is
harmless.

MM

I am sitting in my 1979 semi, under acres of artex ceiling containing
asbestos and looking at my garage with it's asbestos roof. My house is
one of many hundreds within a half mile of me, and hundreds of
thousands, in the country. It was the standard method of construction.

Yours is the second problem of this type reported here. I wonder if we
are seeing the replacement for Double Glazing as a money-spinner???

If so, it will make the flooding scare look mundane.

Andy has made very good comments.

And what a wonderful way of getting the price down!

Andy Hall wrote:

Try asbestos you can not to worry - hard though that may be. Now is
the time to be cool and not make any waves.

Had to read that a few times...

In my day, we used to eat it for breakfast. Never did us any harm.
Honestly, these day, people panic over everything. I blame the media.


--
Grunff

In article , Mm wrote:
How much is this going to cost me? Should I get a second opinion? I
thought asbestos in sheet form, provided it is undisturbed, is
harmless.

Check out http://www.asbestoswatchdog.co.uk/need.html

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm

In article ,
MM wrote:
My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces
of asbestos" in my property.....

Question: How did they find the "traces of asbestos"?

Did they suck up dust with a vacuum cleaner and filter,
and then somehow got it chemically analysed?

--
Tony Williams.

Grunff wrote:

Andy Hall wrote:

Try asbestos you can not to worry - hard though that may be.

Had to read that a few times...

You are not alone. Perhaps he's been having English lessons from IMAM?

--
Andy

"Grunff" wrote in message
...
Andy Hall wrote:

Try asbestos you can not to worry - hard though that may be. Now is
the time to be cool and not make any waves.

Had to read that a few times...

In my day, we used to eat it for breakfast. Never did us any harm.

And you try telling the young people of today that - and they won't beleive
you.

Honestly, these day, people panic over everything. I blame the media.


--
Grunff

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:24:21 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking?

Of course not.

I am, though. I'm sure my BP is now higher than it was an hour ago.

The only abestos I can
think of is four corrugated sheets forming the roof of the adjacent
brick shed, which is approximately 10 ft x 8 ft.

Could be that. Do you have any pre-1980 Artex?

No.



How much is this going to cost me?

Nothing yet. The buyer is paying. It may even be a ruse by the
surveyor to put more cost into his job at the expense of the buyer.

But the asbestos survey is being carried out by a separate company.

Of course the buyer may then want to recover the extra survey cost
from you.

I don't think that's justified. Surveys are always commissioned by
those who want to find something out. It's their cost.

Should I get a second opinion?

Not yet. It won't make any difference at this point. You aren't
going to dissuade the buyer from getting his done, and if you make an
issue beforehand, it might give him the impression that you have
something to hide.

I
thought asbestos in sheet form, provided it is undisturbed, is
harmless.

There are various types and most are.

The kind on my shed appears to be the safer white variety. It is of
course undisturbed since the 1950s.

If it were me, I would do nothing, ask to see a copy of the
environmental report and then decide what to do. If it does relate
to the shed and the buyer doesn't like it then it could be a game to
get it fixed at your expense.

Equally, it could be people covering their backsides because of the
publicity, some warranted and some not about asbestos.

That may very well be true.

Try asbestos you can

Puhleeze, no casual wit! I can't stand it!

MM

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 14:41:21 GMT, EricP wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking? The only abestos I can
think of is four corrugated sheets forming the roof of the adjacent
brick shed, which is approximately 10 ft x 8 ft.

How much is this going to cost me? Should I get a second opinion? I
thought asbestos in sheet form, provided it is undisturbed, is
harmless.

MM

I am sitting in my 1979 semi, under acres of artex ceiling containing
asbestos and looking at my garage with it's asbestos roof. My house is
one of many hundreds within a half mile of me, and hundreds of
thousands, in the country. It was the standard method of construction.

Yours is the second problem of this type reported here. I wonder if we
are seeing the replacement for Double Glazing as a money-spinner???

If so, it will make the flooding scare look mundane.

Andy has made very good comments.

And what a wonderful way of getting the price down!

Your latter point may very well be at the heart of it, but how
justified would that be? For example, the building society survey says
"asbestos nee nah nee nah" and the buyer thinks, ah, spend a couple of
hundred quid on an additional survey, then negotiate a grand off the
agreed price. I need to stick to my guns, but so far, on the web, I
haven't found any definitive statement from the environmental people
that blows away any bargaining position by the buyer. The best I can
find so far is: "Asbestos in good condition should be left in place
and managed." What I need is a building regulation/advisory or
something. Something really official, from HM Government.

Now, the buyer may very well be planning changes to the building -
building an extension, for example - which might entail removing the
asbestos sheets from the shed roof. But what the next owner does or
doesn't do is nothing to do with me and I would not see any
justification for a price reduction on that basis. Feel free to add
your additional comments, though.

MM

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking? The only abestos I can
think of is four corrugated sheets forming the roof of the adjacent
brick shed, which is approximately 10 ft x 8 ft.

How much is this going to cost me? Should I get a second opinion? I
thought asbestos in sheet form, provided it is undisturbed, is
harmless.

MM

My Dad's house has some bay window ceilings boarded with "asbestos cement"
which I think is just the grey board stuff (remember chemistry lessons -
it's the same as the heat mats).

The only problem with it is the ceiling paper doesn't stick very well and
tends to fall off. Don't know why?...

I'll probably remove it but I won't have any hestiation in doing it
myself, with a few basic precautions...

Timbo

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:55:49 +0100, Andy Wade
wrote:

Grunff wrote:

Andy Hall wrote:

Try asbestos you can not to worry - hard though that may be.

Had to read that a few times...

You are not alone. Perhaps he's been having English lessons from IMAM?


Read it again.......

Asbestos ---- As best os ---- As best as

Never mind :-)

Mark 4:5


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 17:10:55 +0100, MM wrote:



Your latter point may very well be at the heart of it, but how
justified would that be? For example, the building society survey says
"asbestos nee nah nee nah" and the buyer thinks, ah, spend a couple of
hundred quid on an additional survey, then negotiate a grand off the
agreed price. I need to stick to my guns, but so far, on the web, I
haven't found any definitive statement from the environmental people
that blows away any bargaining position by the buyer. The best I can
find so far is: "Asbestos in good condition should be left in place
and managed." What I need is a building regulation/advisory or
something. Something really official, from HM Government.

Now, the buyer may very well be planning changes to the building -
building an extension, for example - which might entail removing the
asbestos sheets from the shed roof. But what the next owner does or
doesn't do is nothing to do with me and I would not see any
justification for a price reduction on that basis. Feel free to add
your additional comments, though.

MM


Right now you don't need anything, apart, perhaps from a nice G&T.

Nothing has happened, no surveyor has called and no scam attempted.

However you are well prepared with information on what the scams
*could* be *if* they happen.

Tony has posted the details of an organisation that could be brought
into play if need be.

The main thing is not to do anything to panic the buyer because the
whole thing is probably about nothing anyway.

If and when there are negative reports from the surveyor and his
brother in law at the environmental company, you can ask for copies
and then obtain your professional advice.

It could be that there's a scam afoot or not. It could be that the
surveyor is covering himself or creaming from the buyer.
The buyer, having paid for the report is more likely than not to
accept the contents, but it's really only then that there is something
tangible to discuss.

For the moment, I think you've done all that you reasonably can other
than getting in your own asbestos expert tomorrow. I don't see the
point, though because right now nothing has happened.


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Andy Hall wrote:

Asbestos ---- As best os ---- As best as

Oh I got it - it just took me a few reads...

--
Grunff

Andy Hall wrote:

Mark 4:5

Oh dear. Not so much stony ground as receiver completely off-tune. I
think I just failed the Turing test :-(. Blame it all on useless energy.

--
Andy

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 18:06:58 +0100, Andy Wade
wrote:

Andy Hall wrote:

Mark 4:5

Oh dear. Not so much stony ground as receiver completely off-tune. I
think I just failed the Turing test :-(. Blame it all on useless energy.


Not been listening to Welsh again have you ? ;-)


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 17:10:55 +0100, MM wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 14:41:21 GMT, EricP wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking? The only abestos I can
think of is four corrugated sheets forming the roof of the adjacent
brick shed, which is approximately 10 ft x 8 ft.

How much is this going to cost me? Should I get a second opinion? I
thought asbestos in sheet form, provided it is undisturbed, is
harmless.

MM

I am sitting in my 1979 semi, under acres of artex ceiling containing
asbestos and looking at my garage with it's asbestos roof. My house is
one of many hundreds within a half mile of me, and hundreds of
thousands, in the country. It was the standard method of construction.

Yours is the second problem of this type reported here. I wonder if we
are seeing the replacement for Double Glazing as a money-spinner???

If so, it will make the flooding scare look mundane.

Andy has made very good comments.

And what a wonderful way of getting the price down!

Your latter point may very well be at the heart of it, but how
justified would that be? For example, the building society survey says
"asbestos nee nah nee nah" and the buyer thinks, ah, spend a couple of
hundred quid on an additional survey, then negotiate a grand off the
agreed price. I need to stick to my guns, but so far, on the web, I
haven't found any definitive statement from the environmental people
that blows away any bargaining position by the buyer. The best I can
find so far is: "Asbestos in good condition should be left in place
and managed." What I need is a building regulation/advisory or
something. Something really official, from HM Government.

Now, the buyer may very well be planning changes to the building -
building an extension, for example - which might entail removing the
asbestos sheets from the shed roof. But what the next owner does or
doesn't do is nothing to do with me and I would not see any
justification for a price reduction on that basis. Feel free to add
your additional comments, though.

MM

I can only speak for myself when I say that the stuff in my house does
not bother me in the slightest, and any attempt to get a reduction in
price would result in my agent being instructed to find a new
purchaser.I am far more concerned about the foam underlay from carpets
that has degraded and got under the floor and is laying on top of the
ceilings in a thick layer. Having said that, we may be moving from
the sellers market, into a buyers market, and that must be taken into
consideration.

I am shortly going to be removing a large amount of my ceilings and
replacing them with new after certain work. I will wear a mask as a
precaution, and avoid converting the stuff to dust, where possible.

Apart from that, I will not be too concerned.

I think this is a new scam that will appear and disappear as market
circumstances dictate.

From your point of view, I feel it is a matter of how much the buyers
want your house, and remembering that every other house in the
viscinity is likely to offer equal "horrors". )

"MM" wrote
| Nothing yet. The buyer is paying. It may even be a ruse by
| the surveyor to put more cost into his job at the expense
| of the buyer.
| But the asbestos survey is being carried out by a separate company.

Who couldn't possibly be passing bungs to surveyors who manage to get them
work ... An inspection is probably worth a bottle of malt, a full removal
contract a case.

Owain

MM wrote:

SNIP
that blows away any bargaining position by the buyer. The best I can
find so far is: "Asbestos in good condition should be left in place
and managed." What I need is a building regulation/advisory or
something. Something really official, from HM Government.

Actually getting slightly O/T but I'd treat anything official from the HM
Government with scepticism, as there is an interesting story currently
breaking with regard to our HM Government and 63,000 secret files exposed to
asbestos have been put out of range of the Freedom of Information Act until
they can be decontaminated. These are reported to contain the official
account of the sinking of the Belgrano, and possibly whether files could
unravel any more details of the shooting of IRA terrorists by the SAS in
Gibraltar in 1988 - more info at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3952149.stm - I wonder if these files
were simply stored in a room which had pipes lagged in asbestos, and now
'conveniently' have to be destroyed due to health and safety regulations.

Jon

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 17:14:06 GMT, EricP wrote:

I can only speak for myself when I say that the stuff in my house does
not bother me in the slightest, and any attempt to get a reduction in
price would result in my agent being instructed to find a new
purchaser.

Ah, this is exactly the sentiment I have been pondering over the past
few hours, but couldn't actually put into words! Thanks for the
succinct instruction: Find a new buyer! That, I am sure, will
concentrate minds wonderfully.

I am far more concerned about the foam underlay from carpets
that has degraded and got under the floor and is laying on top of the
ceilings in a thick layer. Having said that, we may be moving from
the sellers market, into a buyers market, and that must be taken into
consideration.

Here it already has become a buyer's market. But that is no reason to
capitulate over nonexistent or invented paranoias.

I am shortly going to be removing a large amount of my ceilings and
replacing them with new after certain work. I will wear a mask as a
precaution, and avoid converting the stuff to dust, where possible.

Apart from that, I will not be too concerned.

I think this is a new scam that will appear and disappear as market
circumstances dictate.

From your point of view, I feel it is a matter of how much the buyers
want your house, and remembering that every other house in the
viscinity is likely to offer equal "horrors". )

They do want my house. They said so on the second viewing and told my
estate agent so. They are very keen, as shown by the fact that they
organised the building society surveyor to come just four days
(including the weekend) after I had accepted their offer. They said
all along that they could not make an offer until they had a firm
offer for their house. But as soon as they did receive the latter,
they contacted my estate agent, within hours, I believe, and put in
their offer. So, yes, I do sincerely believe they are very keen. It's
not as if there is ANYthing else to choose from, either in the
location or at this price. Nothing comes close. This is an ex-LA
property. Place the same 3-bed semi at the other end of the village
and ka-ching! Add another 30 grand to the price!

I spent 15 minutes walking around the estate on the lookout for
obvious asbestos. It's everywhere. Nearly every house has a shed or
garage built in the 1950s/60s and most appear to have corrugated
asbestos roofs. Some have smooth asbestos sheet walls as well.

MM

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 20:01:31 +0100, MM wrote:


I spent 15 minutes walking around the estate on the lookout for
obvious asbestos. It's everywhere. Nearly every house has a shed or
garage built in the 1950s/60s and most appear to have corrugated
asbestos roofs. Some have smooth asbestos sheet walls as well.

MM

My house dealing was coloured by the sale of my first house.

I bought in Ipswich in 1974 for 9,950 and sold three years later. I
asked 11,950 and got a buyer in short order. Their surveyor invented
"subsidence", and they put in an offer of 11,250.

As I had moved out and was paying for a bridge loan, I instructed my
surveyor/agent to start a contract race. He said he would not normally
get involved in that, but as I had been messed about, he would comply.

Three bodies took the bait and I ended up with 12,950 for the place.
If the first arse had paid what I was asking, he would have been well
in himself. He was just being clever.

I sincerely wish you every luck in this matter.

PS My Ipswich house would now cost me about 200,000, so the whole
business is a bit pointless anyway. I feel for starters trying to get
a home.

In article ,
"Owain" writes:
"MM" wrote
| Nothing yet. The buyer is paying. It may even be a ruse by
| the surveyor to put more cost into his job at the expense
| of the buyer.
| But the asbestos survey is being carried out by a separate company.

Who couldn't possibly be passing bungs to surveyors who manage to get them
work ... An inspection is probably worth a bottle of malt, a full removal
contract a case.

That whole industry -- estate agents, surveyors, mortgage advisors,
etc, all seem to work that way.

--
Andrew Gabriel

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:19:19 +0100, Tony Williams
wrote:

In article ,
MM wrote:
My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces
of asbestos" in my property.....

Question: How did they find the "traces of asbestos"?

No idea *how* the surveyor arrived at this conclusion. Vendors don't
get to see buyers' survey reports, do they? I tried to get my estate
agent call me back once I had mulled over the information, but of
course he hasn't! (But I shall ring them tomorrow morning to ask
again.)

Did they suck up dust with a vacuum cleaner and filter,
and then somehow got it chemically analysed?

I think it can only be the asbestos roof on the shed. The surveyor
(the building society one) was here for about 20 minutes and gave no
indication that there were any problems.

Perhaps it's the building society just being careful that they would
not have to spend thousands clearing out asbestos contamination if
they ever had to repossess the house. The surveyor wrote "asbestos on
shed" and that was the trigger that set warning bells ringing. I shall
know more on Wednesday when the specialist firm is coming to check.

MM

"Tim" wrote in message .. .
On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.



The word 'traces' might really show you that the surveyor is covering
his arse.
Recommending a thorough asbestos survey is again covering his arse.
I just pity the buyers when they get hit for an extra £££ for a report
that just says 'leave it alone or remove it properly'.

In article ,
MM wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:19:19 +0100, Tony Williams
wrote:
Question: How did they find the "traces of asbestos"?

No idea *how* the surveyor arrived at this conclusion.
[snip]

Perhaps he didn't. Perhaps a bum-covering statement like;

"There is a shed with an asbestos roof that *may* result in
traces of asbestos *on* the property."

Was eversoaccidentally converted into the apparently
authoritive statement;

"There are traces of asbestos *in* the property."

I don't see how anyone can make an authoritive statement
unless they did a proper sampling and chemical analysis.

--
Tony Williams.

On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 07:22:29 +0100, Tony Williams
wrote:

In article ,
MM wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:19:19 +0100, Tony Williams
wrote:
Question: How did they find the "traces of asbestos"?

No idea *how* the surveyor arrived at this conclusion.
[snip]

Perhaps he didn't. Perhaps a bum-covering statement like;

"There is a shed with an asbestos roof that *may* result in
traces of asbestos *on* the property."

Was eversoaccidentally converted into the apparently
authoritive statement;

"There are traces of asbestos *in* the property."

I don't see how anyone can make an authoritive statement
unless they did a proper sampling and chemical analysis.

Oh, I fully agree with you that this is most likely what happened.
Especially since the surveyor cove who came to inspect the property
relaxed a bit once he realised that not all residents of ex-LA houses
carry knives and are prepared to use them. He asked how many viewers I
had had and I told him quite a few, and he said the reason it hadn't
sold was 'certainly nothing to do with the house'.

MM

On 25 Oct 2004 17:33:59 -0700, (Conrad Edwards)
wrote:

"Tim" wrote in message .. .
On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.



The word 'traces' might really show you that the surveyor is covering
his arse.
Recommending a thorough asbestos survey is again covering his arse.
I just pity the buyers when they get hit for an extra £££ for a report
that just says 'leave it alone or remove it properly'.

How much, do you think, is it likely to be costing the buyer to have a
separate specialist company come 15 miles to make this additional
inspection and produce a report?

MM

MM wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:19:19 +0100, Tony Williams
wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces
of asbestos" in my property.....

Question: How did they find the "traces of asbestos"?

No idea *how* the surveyor arrived at this conclusion. Vendors don't
get to see buyers' survey reports, do they?

I'd say to them I'd look at their claim and decide what to do next if
they show me the report, otherwise I wouldnt even consider it, I'd not
discuss it whatsoever. Its a panic-and-bargain game, and so far you
appear to be buying in to it. When sufficient panic sets in you'll be
prepaerd to take less money for a simple solution, thats the idea of
it.

I dont know if the buyers are knowledgeable or being suckered, if the
latter you could give them this web addy _if_ they give you the
report. I certainly wouldnt get into it otherwise, not one bit.

http://www.asbestoswatchdog.co.uk/ACM.pdf

Thats the kind of report you were asking for.


I think it can only be the asbestos roof on the shed. The surveyor
(the building society one) was here for about 20 minutes and gave no
indication that there were any problems.

Less likely to be made an issue of with buyers not doing surveys,
which most dont. If one after another freaks over it, it doesnt cost a
lot to pull it off and put new plastic corrugated sheet on. Asbetos
should be double bagged before going to the tip.


Tony wrote:
"There are traces of asbestos *in* the property."

there are, theyre in more or less all gas heaters, and assorted other
non-new appliances. Not a problem.


Also someone asked what it would cost to remove the asbestos: if you
do it yourself, nothing. If you bring an asbestos "specialist" in,
whatever they think they can get.


Meanwhile I wouldnt worry about it.


NT

On 26 Oct 2004 13:41:24 -0700, (N. Thornton) wrote:

MM wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 16:19:19 +0100, Tony Williams
wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces
of asbestos" in my property.....

Question: How did they find the "traces of asbestos"?

No idea *how* the surveyor arrived at this conclusion. Vendors don't
get to see buyers' survey reports, do they?

I'd say to them I'd look at their claim and decide what to do next if
they show me the report, otherwise I wouldnt even consider it, I'd not
discuss it whatsoever. Its a panic-and-bargain game, and so far you
appear to be buying in to it. When sufficient panic sets in you'll be
prepaerd to take less money for a simple solution, thats the idea of
it.

I dont know if the buyers are knowledgeable or being suckered, if the
latter you could give them this web addy _if_ they give you the
report. I certainly wouldnt get into it otherwise, not one bit.

http://www.asbestoswatchdog.co.uk/ACM.pdf

Thats the kind of report you were asking for.


I think it can only be the asbestos roof on the shed. The surveyor
(the building society one) was here for about 20 minutes and gave no
indication that there were any problems.

Less likely to be made an issue of with buyers not doing surveys,
which most dont. If one after another freaks over it, it doesnt cost a
lot to pull it off and put new plastic corrugated sheet on. Asbetos
should be double bagged before going to the tip.


Tony wrote:
"There are traces of asbestos *in* the property."

there are, theyre in more or less all gas heaters, and assorted other
non-new appliances. Not a problem.


Also someone asked what it would cost to remove the asbestos: if you
do it yourself, nothing. If you bring an asbestos "specialist" in,
whatever they think they can get.


Meanwhile I wouldnt worry about it.


NT

Very useful, NT. Thanks!

MM

"MM" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:24:21 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking?

Of course not.

I am, though. I'm sure my BP is now higher than it was an hour ago.

That's normal with selling a house. If it wasn't asbestos it would be
subsidence/rising damp/flooding/name your favourite problem. I worry too
but there's nothing you can do but wait and see what the other side do
first.

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 00:18:53 +0100, "G&M"
wrote:


"MM" wrote in message
.. .
On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:24:21 +0100, Andy Hall
wrote:

On Mon, 25 Oct 2004 15:09:33 +0100, MM wrote:

My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking?

Of course not.

I am, though. I'm sure my BP is now higher than it was an hour ago.

That's normal with selling a house. If it wasn't asbestos it would be
subsidence/rising damp/flooding/name your favourite problem. I worry too
but there's nothing you can do but wait and see what the other side do
first.

So far, so good. The specialist environmental surveyor came and was
very thorough indeed, spending about an hour going round the entire
property, inside and out, into the roof space, the shed, everywhere.
Stickers on sample points were left, saying "Do Not Remove". His
feeling was that someone was just being ultra careful, having read the
"traces of asbestos" remark in the original survey report. What was
found was corrugated asbestos sheeting on the shed roof, and
(something I was unaware of) asbestos cement soffits under the eaves.
All of this was declared to be a good condition, for which the
recommended treatment was to "monitor it" and leave alone. Even if a
future owner did decide to replace the soffits or the shed roof, these
sheets can be removed by the owner provided the appropriate steps are
taken. The sheets should be made and kept wet (hose) and then wrapped
in polythene. They must be taken to a council-approved site that
accepts asbestos.

MM

"MM" wrote in message
...
My estate agent has just called to say that the buyer's building
society survey report has come back saying that there are "traces of
asbestos" in my property and a separate special investigation by an
environmental services company is required. Consequently, a man is
coming later this week.

Is this where I should really start panicking?

Of course not.

I am, though. I'm sure my BP is now higher than it was an hour ago.

That's normal with selling a house. If it wasn't asbestos it would be
subsidence/rising damp/flooding/name your favourite problem. I worry too
but there's nothing you can do but wait and see what the other side do
first.

So far, so good. The specialist environmental surveyor came and was
very thorough indeed, spending about an hour going round the entire
property, inside and out, into the roof space, the shed, everywhere.
Stickers on sample points were left, saying "Do Not Remove". His
feeling was that someone was just being ultra careful, having read the
"traces of asbestos" remark in the original survey report. What was
found was corrugated asbestos sheeting on the shed roof, and
(something I was unaware of) asbestos cement soffits under the eaves.
All of this was declared to be a good condition, for which the
recommended treatment was to "monitor it" and leave alone. Even if a
future owner did decide to replace the soffits or the shed roof, these
sheets can be removed by the owner provided the appropriate steps are
taken. The sheets should be made and kept wet (hose) and then wrapped
in polythene. They must be taken to a council-approved site that
accepts asbestos.


Good to hear. Of course the purchasers may be awkward or start worrying (as
you did) but that's part of the joy of moving house. Most stressful thing
in life - as least for men :-)