Asbestos testing in Leeds

Worried about a textured ceiling in Headingley, old floor tiles under the lino in Seacroft, or the grey roof on a garage in Horsforth? You're far from alone. A home asbestos test tells you what a material is before you drill, sand or lift it. In Leeds, England, there's a local reason to know first, too. Leeds City Council takes householders' asbestos at one place only, its Kirkstall waste transfer station, by appointment, and charges by weight. Its booking email asks what type of material you're bringing. This page covers what's worth testing in a Leeds home, what Housing Leeds asks of its tenants, the Kirkstall rules, and how testing works.

How old are the homes in Leeds?

The Valuation Office Agency records the build period of every home on the council tax list. At 31 March 2025, it counted 376,840 homes in Leeds. About 48,500 of them, roughly one in eight, were built in a single decade: 1955 to 1964.

Those years sit well inside the decades when asbestos products were in everyday use in homes. And HSE says asbestos may be in any building built or refurbished before 2000, so a house from the 1980s or 1990s isn't automatically in the clear either.

Leeds City Council's own housing service names the materials it meets most. Its advice for tenants calls textured wall coatings, also known as Artex, one of the most common asbestos products found in the home. It also mentions textured coatings hidden under paint on walls and ceilings, and old plastic floor tiles.

What that means in your home

The age of your home is a clue to what's worth checking. These are rough patterns, not rules.

Homes built before 1919. The original brick and plaster are rarely the worry. A century of improvements might be. A textured ceiling added in the 1970s, a kitchen floor laid in the 1960s, or a cement roof put on a garage or outhouse later are the usual suspects.

Homes built from the 1930s to the 1970s. This includes Leeds's large group of homes from 1955 to 1964. It's the era of asbestos cement garage and shed roofs, soffits, gutters and downpipes, and of vinyl floor tiles laid on black adhesive. Textured ceilings were especially common in the 1960s and 70s.

Homes built in the 1980s and 1990s. HSE's survey guide says asbestos was added to textured coatings until about 1984, with old stock used for several years after. Asbestos cement was used until 1999. Ceilings, roofs and soffits are still worth testing before work.

You can't tell by looking, whatever the age. Only a lab can tell you what a material is.

If you rent from Housing Leeds

Housing Leeds is Leeds City Council's housing service. It asks its tenants to get permission before any home improvement or maintenance job. That way it can check its records and tell you whether asbestos is present.

Its page also asks tenants to contact the Housing Leeds asbestos team for advice before drilling, scraping or sanding textured coatings or old plastic floor tiles. The team is on 0113 378 1123, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm, or by email at Housing.Leeds.Asbestos@leeds.gov.uk.

Renting from a housing association or a private landlord? The Housing Leeds asbestos team deals with council homes. Speak to your own landlord before any work, and see renting and asbestos.

Getting rid of asbestos in Leeds

Leeds City Council's asbestos disposal page sets out one route for asbestos from homes. Check the council's page for current details before you start.

One site, by appointment. Householders' asbestos goes to the Kirkstall waste transfer station, and only by appointment. The service is for Leeds householders' own asbestos. The council won't take trade or business asbestos, or asbestos from householders outside the Leeds area.

Booking by email. You book by emailing asbestos@leeds.gov.uk, giving at least 48 hours' notice. The council asks for:

• your name and full address, including the postcode;
• the address the asbestos was removed from;
• your vehicle's registration, make, model and colour;
• a contact phone number;
• the type of material, and an estimate of the amount;
• one or more preferred dates. The council says that offering more dates improves your chance of a slot.

The council then sends a time and date in a confirmation email. It says anyone arriving outside their allocated time will be refused entry.

Wrapping. Each piece must be double-wrapped in strong polythene of at least 1000 gauge, and sealed with strong broad tape, such as duct tape, with every loose edge and corner secured. The council says asbestos that isn't wrapped and secured properly will be turned away.

On the day. Report to the weighbridge as you drive in, so staff can inspect the load. A high-visibility jacket and protective footwear are compulsory. Staff won't help unload, so bring a second person for anything heavy. The asbestos service runs Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, and Saturday, 8am to midday.

The charges. Asbestos is charged by weight, in 200 kg bands, and paid by debit or credit card only. There's no cash and no cheques.

What Kirkstall can't help with. The council describes Kirkstall as a disposal-only service. It says it can't help with other asbestos enquiries, such as testing, inspections or removal. That's where a lab result comes in: it puts a name to the material before you write the email. Our guide to what asbestos testing costs covers that side of the bill.

How testing works in Leeds

1. Send us a photo using the free photo check. There are no questions to answer: it points at what's worth testing, how many samples, and how to take each one. Only the lab can say what a material is.
2. Take your sample in about 10 minutes, step by step. Your kit has the safety gear and the bags: an FFP3 mask, a coverall, gloves, a spray bottle and double sample bags. Add a flat screwdriver and some tape from home. Kits are launching soon: book a test kit with just your email.
3. The lab will analyse your sample. It will be a UKAS-accredited laboratory, named on every certificate.
4. You'll get a written result you can show your builder, plasterer, electrician or buyer.

For a garage roof or outside sheets, take your sample from an edge you can reach standing on the ground. Our guide to how to take an asbestos sample at home goes through each step.

Questions people ask

Updated 25 October 2026