Unsafe Materials Policy

1. Why this policy exists

BuildRelay exists to help good materials find a second project instead of going to landfill. Because these are physical building materials — some of them decades old, salvaged from real construction and demolition sites — a small number of categories carry genuine health, safety, or legal risk if they're resold without the right care. This policy sets out what can never be listed on BuildRelay, and what can only be listed with specific disclosures.

This policy applies to every listing, regardless of seller type, condition, or price (including materials listed for free).

2. Never list these — no exceptions

The following must never be listed on BuildRelay, in any condition, under any description:

• Asbestos or suspected asbestos-containing materials (ACMs). This includes asbestos cement sheets and roofing, asbestos insulation board (AIB), pipe lagging, textured coatings such as Artex applied before the mid-1980s, vinyl floor tiles from suspect eras, and any material where the seller is not certain it is asbestos-free. If a material is old enough to plausibly contain asbestos and hasn't been tested by a UKAS-accredited laboratory, treat it as asbestos and do not list it. Asbestos must be removed and disposed of by a licensed contractor, not resold.
• Stolen materials, or materials you don't have the legal right to sell.
• Counterfeit or unauthorised replica branded products, and materials bearing a forged, altered, or unverifiable CE or UKCA compliance mark.
• Materials subject to an active safety recall.
• Hazardous waste, including contaminated soil, chemically contaminated materials, or anything that would legally require a permitted waste carrier to move under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
• Unsafe cladding and insulation systems of the type restricted following building safety reviews (for example, aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding panels and associated systems that do not meet current fire safety standards for use on buildings).
• Weapons, explosives, or materials designed to cause harm.
• Radioactive materials and any substance requiring a specific environmental or nuclear licence to possess or transport.
• Illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia.
• Refrigerants and ozone-depleting substances on their own (e.g. removed from air conditioning or refrigeration units) outside a licensed handling process.

We remove listings in these categories on sight and may suspend the associated account without warning. Where we believe a listing involves stolen goods, hazardous waste, or another criminal offence, we may report it to the relevant authorities, including the police or the Environment Agency.

3. List only with clear disclosure

These categories carry real risk if mishandled or misrepresented, but can be listed if the listing is accurate, honest about condition, and includes the specific disclosures below.

Gas appliances and boilers

Must be listed as decommissioned and must not be described as "ready to install" or similar. The listing must state clearly that installation or reconnection must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Do not claim an appliance is safe, tested, or working unless it has been certified by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and say so in the listing.

Electrical items and appliances

Must be described accurately as tested or untested. If you're claiming an item is safe to use, it must have been PAT tested (or equivalent) and the listing must state when and how. Untested electrical items must be clearly marked "sold as untested — for spares or repair" or similar, and must not be described as working unless genuinely verified.

Pressure vessels and gas cylinders

Must be empty, purged, and clearly labelled as such in both the listing and any photographs. Do not list a pressurised or partially full cylinder.

Fire doors and other fire-rated materials

Reclaimed fire doors frequently lose their fire rating once removed, modified, or if their intumescent seals and ironmongery are missing or damaged. Do not describe a reclaimed door as fire-rated unless you can evidence its rating is intact (original certification label, unaltered frame and hardware). If in doubt, list it as a standard door and say the fire rating cannot be guaranteed.

Lead paint and lead-coated materials

If a material (particularly pre-1960s painted timber, windows, or metalwork) may be coated in lead-based paint, this must be disclosed in the listing, along with basic handling guidance (avoid sanding or burning off the paint without appropriate precautions).

Treated timber

Timber treated with older-generation preservatives (such as CCA — chromated copper arsenate) must be disclosed as treated timber, since it has restrictions on use (avoid use where it will contact food, animal feed, or drinking water) and on disposal (must not be burned in an open fire or domestic stove).

Insulation materials

Older insulation products may use blowing agents or binders no longer in current use. Disclose the type and approximate age where known, particularly for foam-based insulation.

Reclaimed structural materials

Anything sold as structural (roof trusses, structural steel, load-bearing beams) must be described honestly, including any visible damage, and must make clear that a buyer is responsible for having a qualified professional assess suitability before reuse in a structural application.

4. Your responsibilities as a seller

By listing on BuildRelay, you confirm that:

• you've described the material's condition and any known hazards honestly and completely;
• you're not using vague titles or descriptions to obscure a restricted characteristic (for example, listing suspected asbestos sheeting as "roofing panels, collection only, no questions");
• you'll answer a buyer's questions about condition, age, and provenance honestly; and
• you understand that responsibility for the accuracy of a listing sits with you, not with BuildRelay — see our Terms and Conditions.

5. Your responsibilities as a buyer

Materials sold on BuildRelay — particularly reclaimed materials — may be older stock without modern certification. Before buying, especially in the categories in section 3:

• ask the seller directly about age, condition, and any testing or certification;
• arrange for a qualified professional to inspect or install anything safety-critical (gas, electrical, structural, fire-rated); and
• if something looks like it might fall into section 2, don't collect it — report the listing instead (section 6).

6. Reporting a listing

If you believe a listing breaches this policy, use Report this listing on the listing or seller page, or email [contact@buildrelay.co.uk] with the listing link. Tell us what you've noticed — we investigate every report. You won't be identified to the seller.

7. What happens when we remove a listing

We may remove a listing that breaches this policy without prior notice, and may suspend or close the associated account for a serious or repeated breach. Where a completed order is affected, we'll follow our Refund and Cancellation Policy to put the buyer in a fair position.

8. This policy isn't a complete safety guide

This policy tells you what's not allowed on BuildRelay. It isn't a substitute for professional advice on whether a specific material is safe to sell, buy, or reuse. If you're ever unsure whether something is safe or legal to list, don't list it, and speak to a qualified professional or the relevant regulator (for example, the Health and Safety Executive for asbestos, or Gas Safe Register for gas appliances) first.

9. Changes to this policy

We review this policy regularly and may update it as regulations change or as we learn more about how materials are being listed. Material changes will be communicated to sellers.

10. Contact

Questions about this policy, or to report a listing: [contact@buildrelay.co.uk]