Floorflex panels - Pandora's box

Floorflex panels are slightly brittle vinyl floor coverings that were sold in large quantities between 1950 and 1980. They almost always contain asbestos. The manufacturers of these panels no longer exist.

How can you recognise Floorflex panels containing asbestos?

Floorflex panels are usually square (20-40cm), smooth individual panels without a carrier layer. The panels are also available under the names Vinyl asbestos panels, PVC flexible panels or Vinyl asbestos tiles known.

Are Floorflex panels dangerous? "The panels are No danger from, if they are not processed, broken or otherwise damaged", explains Constance Noack from the responsible department of the Federal Environment Agency.

Broken or crumbling Floorflex panels are dangerous for residentsas asbestos fibres can get into the room air. Fibres can also be released through abrasion. The Weight percentage on Asbestos for these plates is up to 20%.

It is assumed that in Berlin still has approx. 100,000 flats with Floorflex panels containing asbestos are equipped (Youtube: Asbestos in the living room).

Frank Bielka (SPD) gave the Senate Year 2000 The following figures are known:

DEGEWO 14,400 Flats

GEWOBAG 7,200 Flats

GESOBAU 12,700 Flats

City and country 8,500 Flats

GSW 10,000 Flats

BEWOGE 10,000 Flats

with Floorflex panels containing asbestos.

Relevant articles:

Asbestos hazard - how harmful are asbestos fibres?

What to do with brittle vinyl asbestos panels?

Cracked Floorflex panels and black glue are hazardous to health. Seal any brittle or open areas with armoured tape. Contact the landlord immediately to clarify whether the panels contain asbestos.

Asbestos-containing Floorflex floor tiles and black glue in a Degewo rental flat in Berlin

Sample text to the landlord:

"I request that you confirm within 10 days of receipt of this letter that the floor tiles/floor adhesive in my flat are contaminated with asbestos. If the deadline set is not met, I will commission an expert to carry out the work at my expense."

100% Rent reduction even with low fibre release

If the suspicion is confirmed, rent reduction claims can be asserted, among other things.

In a recent judgement (June 2018), the Eutin District Court found that the release of asbestos fibres made the property uninhabitable. The tenant moved out of the house and claimed the costs for replacement accommodation and the purchase of new items from the landlord. The claim was upheld in full on the merits.

The district court stated that:

"The release of asbestos fibres in the cellar constitutes a defect...... The prerequisite for the existence of a defect in the rented property is the existence of a direct impairment of the usability of the rented property. This was the case here. Asbestos fibres were released in the cellar. There is no effect threshold for asbestos. Every asbestos fibre can have an adverse effect on health. Therefore, a defect is regularly to be assumed"

With this finding, the district court comes to the following conclusion:

"In view of the particular danger of asbestos release, the release of asbestos fibres in the cellar is already suitable to justify a defect in the rented property to the effect that it was uninhabitable."

This leads to a 100 per cent rent reduction in the event of proven asbestos fibre release. The key case law developed in Berlin on rent reduction in the event of a risk of asbestos fibre leakage has thus been rectified. In the case of asbestos fibres, it is not reasonable for the tenant to live in the property. As a result, the tenant's rent claim is completely cancelled and cannot only be reduced on a percentage basis.

Source: www.kanzlei-leistikow.de

Source: www.facebook.com/asbestberlin

Worst-case scenario: renovate floors containing asbestos yourself

The landlord must assume that tenants will want to replace the floor over the years. Nobody likes living on a brittle, old floor covering. Degewo has absolutely no protective mechanism to guard against such a situation.

Forbidding residents to remove the old floors is not an effective protection mechanism. Many people want to fully bond a high-quality floor covering (e.g. a parquet floor). Loose or crumbling old floor coverings must be removed in such cases.

It is unrealistic to hope that nobody will open Pandora's box.

DIY enthusiasts and parquet layers run the risk of inhaling dangerous asbestos fibres during installation work.

Adhesive containing asbestos

The bituminous black adhesive used to bond the Floorflex panels usually also contains asbestos. However, the panels were also bonded with other, non-bituminous (i.e. non-black) adhesives.

If the adhesive layer is to be removed, you must Protective measures as for weakly bound products be taken.

The removal should be carried out by a specialised company that has the appropriate certificate of competence. The specialised company registers the work with the trade supervisory office and the employers' liability insurance association.

Floorflex panels are hazardous waste and must therefore be disposed of properly.

Vinly asbestos panels in Berlin daycare centres

Vinly asbestos panels are still present in many daycare centres. Teachers and parents are completely unaware of the dangers.

Children play happily and confidently on crumbling vinyl asbestos tiles. That is dangerous enough. Sometimes they even put objects in their mouths that had just been lying in the asbestos dust on the crumbling floor tiles.

If you become aware of such a coating, please report it immediately to the daycare centre management or the landlord!