Why commercial landlords should get asbestos testing for their properties

One important responsibility of many commercial landlords in New Zealand is to create an asbestos plan for the property and commercial property asbestos removal if a test comes back positive.

Commercial landlords across New Zealand have numerous important responsibilities in order to keep their tenants safe and happy. From allowing tenants the freedom to enjoy the property to completing maintenance and repairs to properties as required, a commercial landlord must abide by the rules of the commercial lease.

Plans for commercial property asbestos removal

Due to the fact that asbestos was extremely common in building materials across New Zealand between the 1940s and 1990s, commercial landlords should assume that if their property was built or renovated during that time, there is likely asbestos present on site.

For properties built in the 1990s, it’s still best to be on the safe side and also assume there is asbestos present.

In this case, the commercial landlord should organise for asbestos testing to determine if and where there is asbestos in the property. Considering its wide use in building materials, asbestos could be anywhere from the roofing materials to the piping to the flooring.

What to do if asbestos is discovered on your commercial property

If the test comes back negative, you can enjoy peace of mind and the potential extra selling point for your property. However in many cases, asbestos tests will come back positive.

In this case, you must create an asbestos plan for your commercial property asbestos removal.

An asbestos plan includes:

– The results of the test (where asbestos is located and its condition)
– Potential risks posed by the asbestos
– How you are managing those risks and keeping tenants safe
– What happens in case of an asbestos emergency
– Any plans for asbestos removal
– What happens if you ever plan to make renovations or other structural changes to the building

Some asbestos plans will simply affirm that the asbestos is safely contained, with regular checks to ensure it doesn’t become a hazard.

However, some commercial landlords will prefer to remove the asbestos entirely and safeguard the property for all future use. In this case, PRO Environmental Services can help.

Asbestos removal with PRO Environmental Services

PRO Environmental Services works with commercial landlords all over central New Zealand, from the West Coast and Marlborough, up through the greater Wellington region, and as far north as the Waikato and Gisborne.

We work with you to remove all types of asbestos from your property, and we understand that the less downtime for your tenants, the better.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can efficiently and effectively remove asbestos from your property, and work around your timelines to make it happen with minimal disruption to business.