Beware: Asbestos Certificate Mandatory As From 23 November 2022

Property owners in Flanders will be required to present an asbestos certificate to prospective buyers when selling their properties starting of November 23, 2018.

In general, this responsibility is applicable to any establishment or transfer of a right of usufruct, emphyteusis, superficies, or a right of use in rem among live persons, including any sale or donation. The asbestos certificate is only needed if the structure was built before 2001.

Also, if the asbestos certificate is accessible, landlords must give a copy of it to any (possible) tenants. But, by 2032, all owners of structures or homes older than 2001 will need to have an asbestos certificate on hand.

The owner must hire a licenced asbestos specialist to create an inventory of the building’s asbestos in order to receive the certificate. Based on the size of the structure, the certificate will probably cost between 395 and 850 euros.

When a transaction occurs, the seller transfers the certificate to the purchaser at the time of the commitment contract. Nonetheless, buyers might ask the seller for the attestation in before.

See https://ovam.vlaanderen.be/veelgestelde-vragen-over-het-asbestattest for more details.

About Asbestos

Asbestos is a fibrous silicate material that occurs naturally. Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and lung cancer are just a few of the deadly lung disorders that can develop from inhaling asbestos fibres.

The use of asbestos for strengthening pottery pots dates back to the Stone Age, according to archaeological investigations, but large-scale mining only started at the end of the 19th century when manufacturers and construction companies started employing asbestos for its advantageous physical features.

Many nations have outlawed the use of asbestos in building and fireproofing. This is partially due to the fact that asbestos is still present in many older structures, and it can take decades for the effects of exposure to manifest.

Asbestos mining continues, with Russia, the world’s leading producer, expected to generate 790,000 tonnes of asbestos in 2020.