Artex and asbestos: the UK rules for homeowners, landlords and contractors

Updated 6 November 2026 · By the Artex Removal team

Short answer: In the UK, work on Artex that contains asbestos is covered by the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. HSE classes most work on textured decorative coatings as non-licensed, but larger scale removal with steam or gel is normally notifiable non-licensed work, which must be notified to HSE first. Asbestos waste must be double-bagged, labelled and taken by a registered carrier to a permitted site.

Artex and asbestos: the UK rules for homeowners, landlords and contractors

The legal framework

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 apply to anyone who works with asbestos as part of a business, including plasterers and decorators working in private homes. They set out training requirements, how work must be controlled and how exposure is kept as low as possible. HSE publishes guidance, including its Asbestos essentials task sheets, describing safe methods for common jobs on textured coatings.

Homeowners doing their own work are not employers under the regulations, but the same health risks apply, and HSE guidance is the best reference for doing it safely.

The underlying reason for the rules is that asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma and asbestosis, can develop decades after exposure and cannot be reversed. Textured coatings contain relatively small amounts of chrysotile bound into the material, which is why HSE treats most work on them as lower risk, but the controls exist to keep exposure as close to zero as possible.

Three categories of asbestos work

Category	Typical Artex examples	Key requirements
Non-licensed work	Drilling to fit a fixture, removing a small area with dust-reducing methods	Trained workers, controls and PPE, no notification
Notifiable non-licensed work	Larger scale removal of textured coating using steam or gel	Notify HSE before starting, medical surveillance, health records
Licensed work	Rarely applies to textured coatings alone	Licensed contractor, notification at least 14 days ahead

The category depends on the material, its condition, the scale of the job and the method used. Work on asbestos insulating board, pipe lagging or sprayed coatings is a different matter and usually requires a licensed contractor.

Duties for landlords and managing agents

The duty to manage asbestos under regulation 4 applies to non-domestic premises, including the common parts of blocks of flats such as hallways and stairwells. Whoever is responsible for those areas must find out whether asbestos is present, assess its condition and keep a record. Inside individual rented homes, landlords still have general duties to keep the property safe and to make sure contractors they hire work safely, so testing before work is good practice.

Notifiable non-licensed work in practice

Notify HSE online before the work starts, with no minimum notice period
Workers must have a medical examination, repeated at least every three years
Employers keep a health record for each worker for 40 years
Work areas are controlled, with suitable respiratory protection and disposable overalls
Waste is handled as asbestos waste from the moment it is removed

Handling asbestos waste

Asbestos waste is hazardous waste. It must be double-wrapped in heavy-duty polythene, with the inner layer usually red and labelled as containing asbestos, and moved by a registered waste carrier to a site permitted to accept it. In England and Wales a hazardous waste consignment note goes with it, and the household waste exemption from consignment notes does not apply to asbestos. Some councils accept small, wrapped amounts from householders at specific sites by appointment.

What the rules mean for your job

Test any textured coating applied before 2000 before disturbing it
Choose encapsulation by skimming where you can, as it avoids removal altogether
If removal is needed, ask which category the work falls into
Make sure waste paperwork is provided and keep it with your property records
Tell future buyers, tenants or contractors about any coating left in place

When you sell, the standard property information forms ask about known hazards, and buyers' surveyors often flag textured ceilings in older homes. A lab result and a note of how the coating was dealt with, whether skimmed over or removed, gives a straightforward answer and can stop the issue holding up a sale.

Training and controls for anyone doing the work

Every worker who could disturb asbestos as part of their job must have asbestos awareness training, and anyone carrying out non-licensed work on textured coatings needs task-specific training in the methods and controls for that work. Training should be refreshed regularly, typically every year.

A written plan of work describing how the job will be done safely
Wetting or gel softening to keep the material damp and dust down
No power sanders, wire brushes or dry scraping on asbestos-containing coatings
Respiratory protective equipment suited to the task, worn by face-fit tested workers
Disposable overalls, with decontamination at the end of the work
Sheeting, bagging and cleaning methods that avoid spreading debris

Homeowners are not bound by these duties when working on their own homes, but they describe the safest way to do the job and are worth following. If you hire someone, it is reasonable to ask what training they hold and how they plan to control dust.