Asbestos check on Pebsham homes

Now home owners on the rest of the estate are being told to contact Rother council's environmental health department to get their houses checked if they are worried.

Local resident Colin Munn, who owns his house in Dallington Close, contacted us to say he had seen men in protective clothing entering a Rother Homes rented house in his road.

He had been told it was because asbestos was present in a cupboard enclosing the boiler.

Mr Munn, a driving instructor and his wife Carole bought their home from Rother council eight years ago.

He said: "None of us who have bought our properties have been told anything about what is going on, or what to do.

"It's a bit worrying. We would have liked a letter from someone, at least."

Rother Homes property services manager, Peter Tyler, said brown asbestos, which is less dangerous than the deadly blue asbestos, had been found in one of its homes while workmen were installing new central heating, bathrooms and kitchens.

He said: "A small ground floor boiler chamber containing a ceiling panel less than a square metre was found to contain 20 per cent brown asbestos.

"The Health and Safety Executive and Rother council's environmental health office were notified. Specialist contractors have been engaged to remove the relevant panels in our properties to comply with current health standards. The work should be completed shortly."

Mr Tyler said if home owners on the estate were concerned about brown asbestos in their homes they should ring Rother council environmental health department for advice.