You received an asbestos certificate or are about to apply for one. We explain what it means and how to safely remove the identified asbestos.
Anyone selling a house or building constructed before 2001 must, since 23 November 2022, be able to present an asbestos certificate. This certificate is drawn up by a certified asbestos expert and issued by OVAM. It indicates where asbestos is present in your home and its condition. By 2032, every owner of such a building must have a certificate, even if there is no sale pending.
As a licensed asbestos removal contractor, we are often asked whether we also issue certificates. The answer is no. A certificate is linked to an asbestos inventory that a certified expert prepares on site. We only come into the picture when that certificate identifies asbestos that needs to be removed. And that is exactly our job.
Are you the owner of a flat or another building with communal areas? Then the Owners' Association (VME) must have an asbestos certificate for those communal areas by 31 December 2026 at the latest. Think of the cellar, the roof, the stairwell or the technical rooms. That deadline is approaching faster than you think. Those who start on the inventory now will avoid a scramble later. You can read more about this specific rule on our page about the asbestos certificate for communal areas.
The certificate is not a non-binding document. It contains an inventory of all asbestos applications found by the expert, with a risk score. That score determines whether you must have the asbestos removed urgently, whether it may remain as long as it is not damaged, or whether it can safely stay in place. When selling, you must provide the certificate to the buyer. Based on this, the buyer can decide whether to take further steps.
Please note: a certificate does not always say that everything must be removed. Sometimes asbestos is in good condition and the law leaves it alone. However, there are situations where removal is mandatory, for example during a renovation that damages the asbestos or with asbestos cement roofs that are outdoors and weathering.
As soon as the certificate indicates that an application is damaged or poses a risk, it is time to act. Also, if you are planning to renovate or insulate, it is often wisest to have the asbestos removed in one go. This way you avoid having to pay again later for a new remediation. We carry out the removal according to the legal techniques, whether it concerns asbestos removal in a residential property or in a larger building.
Some customers think they can do it themselves. For small pieces of bonded asbestos up to 35 m², this is allowed, but there are strict conditions. The material must be undamaged and screwed, not glued or nailed. And you must submit a demolition notification. For everything else, and certainly for friable asbestos or damaged sheets, a licensed company is mandatory. On our page about asbestos removal for private individuals we list the rules.
We want to make it clear: Credim does not issue asbestos certificates or asbestos inventories. For that, you need to contact a certified asbestos expert. The certificate is issued via OVAM. What we do do is remove the asbestos identified in that certificate in a safe and legal manner. So it is best to call us only after you have the certificate.
Do you already have the certificate and would you like to know roughly what the removal will cost? The price depends on the type of asbestos, the quantity and the location. A corrugated sheet roof, for example, is much simpler than pipe insulation in a crawl space. On our page about the factors determining the cost you will find more explanation.
You do not need to wait for a sale or renovation to have the asbestos removed. Even without a certificate, you can contact us for free, no-obligation advice. But for the certificate itself, you must go to an expert.
A certified expert visits, assesses the situation, and gives you a clear, no-obligation proposal.
