The government has also issued guidelines on fixtures and fittings in Fluffy homes, warning owners they must abandon anything glued, screwed or nailed into walls, and leave behind plumbed or wired-in appliances and lights when they move.

The danger stickers became compulsory on January 1 for all of the 1021 Fluffy homes, warning tradespeople and others visiting the homes that they contain loose-fill asbestos.

Work Safety Commissioner Mark McCabe said inspectors were arriving unannounced, focusing on the owners who had failed to return slips indicating the stickers had been attached, but also visiting those who had returned the slips. Inspectors were not issuing fines straight off, but were offering to attach the stickers where houses didn't have them and issuing notices requiring the work to be done.

Of a couple of dozen homes visited before Christmas, they had found just one without a sticker – a rental property – and inspectors had attached the sticker on the spot (the tenants knew it was a Fluffy home, Mr McCabe said).

As the first owners leave their homes in the hands of the government for demolition, the Asbestos Taskforce has issued guidelines on what fixtures and fittings they can salvage. Owners must do nothing to disturb wall cavities, ceilings or subfloors, the taskforce said. No-one and nothing must enter subfloors or ceilings or work on the roofs of homes.

Carpets, curtains and fabric blinds must be left behind. Other blinds could be taken, but only if they were attached to window frames and removing them did not involve penetrating the wall cavity.

Any fixtures screwed, nailed or glued to the wall must be abandoned, the taskforce said. "If these items are removed, regardless of whether the gaps, holes or screw holes have been sealed – the surrender process will be compromised or delayed and will likely result in additional costs and obligations on homeowners," it warned.

The rules applies to new and old parts of a house and to parts of the home where no contamination has been found.

Pendant lights, wall lights and most chandeliers and other lights hardwired into the house must also be abandoned, along with all downlights, although owners are allowed to take light shades and fittings with no wiring attached.

Most bathroom fittings must stay in the home, since towel rails,toothbrush holders and the like penetrate wall cavities, but owners are allowed to take free-standing bathtubs that aren't plumbed in, parts of shower screens and toilet seats.

Anything that would require a contractor for removal must remain, except external appliances, such as an instant gas water heater, that were connected only to the brickwork and did not penetrate the walls, the taskforce said. Outside water tanks could also be taken, as long as they were fixed only to the brick work and disconnected by licensed tradespeople.

Owners are also allowed to keep plug-in appliances that are not wired or plumbed in, including electric stove tops and some dishwashers and clothes dryers that can be unscrewed without affecting a wall cavity. Even floorboards can be taken as long as they were installed on top of a fully sealed floor, such as on tiles. Owners can also take cupboard doors, internal door knobs and freestanding benchtops.

But sinks, most ovens, gas stoves and rangehoods must stay in the home.

The taskforce has also warned against taking items that affect security and safety – so boundary fences, gates and security doors must remain, and if owners take plants from the garden they must fill in the holes to avoid leaving trip hazards. Most other outdoor fixtures are allowed to be taken, except pool and pond fences, banisters and other safety-related fixtures.