Tenant's health fears as Falkirk Council take over a year to remove asbestos

It took over a year of phone calls, official complaints and threats to go to the newspaper for one resident to get Falkirk Council to come and remove tiles containing asbestos from her kitchen.
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The 27-year-old tenant, who did not want to be named, has been living in the premises in York Street, Falkirk for two years now and for much of her time in the property she has had to put up with the exposed section of kitchen floor which contains tiles with asbestos in them.

It was January last year when she discovered the tiles after she wanted to put some new flooring down.

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She said: “It was old concrete that had plywood on top of it and the council guy said it might contain asbestos so they would have to get someone out to test it. They came just before summer and confirmed the green tiles did contain asbestos.

The tiles containing asbestos in the tenant's kitchen have exposed for over a yearThe tiles containing asbestos in the tenant's kitchen have exposed for over a year
The tiles containing asbestos in the tenant's kitchen have exposed for over a year

"They said the floor would have to be ripped up. That was over a year ago and I’m still waiting.”

The tenant, who suffers from asthma, was immediately concerned by the health dangers associated with asbestos.

"They told me it wouldn’t effect me unless it was disturbed. I phoned them numerous times – I don’t think took any notice of what I said because every time I phone up I would get different answers.

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"They said they were going to put plywood down, but I told them I had already been told by someone else the tiles had to be removed. Then they said they had just got the results through the tiles contained asbestos – I said I got those results six weeks ago.”

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The council got in touch with her on Monday saying they were going to fit a new kitchen and would lift the tiles at that point.

A Falkirk Council spokesman said: “Our building maintenance team have been allocated the work on the property last week. This is to install a new kitchen and the normal process is to remove the tiles at the same time of the fitting of the kitchen.

“The type of asbestos in question is very low risk and is sealed in with adhesive. The work is scheduled to start on August 16, and the tenant has been contacted to make them aware.”

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