Asbestos in Cullum Welch House flats

[Linda]

Hello neighbours 

Does anyone know where the usual locations are for the asbestos inside Cullum Welch House flats? 

The flat seems to be in its original condition with very little updating. And my landlord has never got a survey done. My concern is that there's lots of wear and tear (walls and floors are badly damaged) within the flat and i feel I have a right to know where the asbestos is and what condition it is in. 

Despite my ongoing efforts COL can't really help me as it's a private lease. 

The flat also has the original black vinyl tiles in the hallway and bathroom, I suspect that such flooring may contain asbestos  - does anyone know for certain?  

Any advice or information would be appreciated  - feel free to DM me.  Thank you! 

[Richard]

I lived in Cullum Welch years ago when they updated the kitchens and bathrooms and from what I can remember, the asbestos was under the flooring in the kitchen. It's probably best to ask the estate office though to confirm.

[Linda]

Thank you Richard for your reply.

I do recall when the asbestos guys were here many years ago to do the kitchens as my neigbour's flat had work carried out. 

Estate office were no help at all. I would expect at least have some original plans with details about materials to consult but i was just given an email to a contact in the housing dept at COL, who couldn't really answer my questions. 

I've been trying for a while now to find out about asbestos locations in the Cullum Welch house flats. Basically I've  passed around different contacts in COL. Bottom line is that they can't help because they don't have records of asbestos in the leaseholders flat.

[Linda]

Anyone else want to offer advice to my asbestos question? Has any Cullum Welch leaseholders had asbestos surveys carried out? Thank you. 

[Linda]

bumping this up.......

[Simon]

Hi, I understand the original black floor tiles are Marley floor tiles which had small amounts of asbestos so if removed I think it has to be done following specific advice. Hope that helps

[Linda]

Cheers Simon   - this is really helpful. We still have them in the hall and bathroom, loads of wear and tear. Something to discuss further with the landlord.  

[JM]

Hello Linda.  

As the flats are all the same I imagine the asbestos will be in the same places in each flat, irrespective of the type of resident (owner leaseholder or renter), so no reason why the question can't be answered by the COL for everyone.

The original Marley tiles in my hallway have started to break up, particularly over the area where the pipes run under the floor to the kitchen (the concrete is cracking).  Quite worrying if they are made partly of and/or cover up asbestos.

I have wondered if the ceilings contain asbestos, as that's where the communal heating pipes ran.  There may also be some in the hall cupboards?  The COL made a mess when they took out the old hot water tanks years ago - leaving pipes sticking out 2' into the airing cupboard, just capped off with a bit of PTFE tape and a metal cap, rather than taking them back to inside the cavity housing all the pipework.  

Not sure I would let them get away with that now  - but I was much younger and more timid in those days!  As I was moving in they also took out the old kitchen sink, chopped away at the wooden (mahogany?) drainer/worktop and put in a modern stainless steel sink and drainer.  Ditto a sink in the bathroom - modern with tap holes plugged with chrome caps.  When they did the concrete repairs to the window boxes the first time round (many years ago) the jackhammer(?)  used to 'repair' the trough created large cracks on the inside of the polished concrete facia under the window.  Luckily I knew a stonemason at St Pauls who repaired it as neatly as possible after the COL workmen slapped some grey concrete over it.  When one of the large windows fell in towards me as I was sliding it open (luckily I caught it and pushed it back) COL came along and banged in a few washers at the top of the window frame - that was the 'repair' - leaving a nice gap for the wind to whistle through.

COL didn't care about the state of the flats then (what has changed you may ask).  At least the new balustrades on the north elevation are better quality.  Same day we may even get the outside painted!  OK rant over.

Best of luck with your request to the COL.  Do let us know if you ever get a proper reply.

BW

J

[Linda]

Cheers for the information. Does not surprise me really that COL sent in dodgy workmen to rip out fittings.

The reality of living in Golden Lane Estate (and modern estates in general) with asbestos and council management neglect, would make a good architecture publication.

[Linda]

There's large chunks of wall and floor missing in the hall cupboard around the pipe areas in my rented flat. Really badly done like someone came in with a hammer, bash it a few times and left.  One corner is completely smashed open in the cupboard  - the mice like to run into this hole in the colder months. 

[JM]

Yep this is my cupboard furthest from the front door, where the old (huge) hot water tank used to be:

[JM]

You can see where they left the pipes sticking out that used to attach to the tank

[JM]

I think this is the stop cock, to the right on the floor