Asbestos Council property

[Jad3]

Hi please could someone help me into the right direction. In 2019 we had a leak in the roof of my council flat (I am top floor) due to the leak it caused water running down my wall and caused to big holes, after a lot of investigation and the council taking there time about things the roof was replaced last January, 2 time after that I still had leaks they then did more work and end middle of last year the leaks stopped. I emailed the council and asked for them to come and cover the holes as stuff was falling thru after about 8 months from the first time I reported l the leak (2019) they came and covered it. Now the past 8 months I have been asking them to replace the celling, as this is what I was told would need to happen once the work was carried out. M.i.c came out and had a look and said I would need to empty my bedroom so the work can be carried out, after speaking with someone yesterday I was told this is because of asbestos is up there (I was not told where) they have said they could move me into a hotel for 2 days while work is carried out, that's fine but what about this asbestos.
have I been expose to it? If so what action can I take?
do my belongings in the room need to chucked away and brought new?
I am also on the housing list to move as my son and myself have medical conditions, he also has asthma.
please could you share some light on my situation as I don't know where I stand. Thank you jade

[paulajayne]

Many building still have asbestos roofs and are fine until they have to be repaired or replaced and dust is created.

Left alone it should create no problems but now they have to work on it, or remove it, great care is taken to ensure the dust is not inhaled.

[Jad3]

But what if we had to holes the size of tennis ball in the celling for years, does that not mean the asbestos has been distributed and then courses a problem of being inhaled?

[paulajayne]

Do not try to repair or remove any asbestos materials yourself if you have not had any training for non-licensed asbestos work. You can seek advice from an environmental health officer at your local authority/council (see the Directgov website).

If you are sure (or strongly suspect) that your home contains asbestos materials then it is often best to leave them where they are – especially if they are in good condition and unlikely to get damaged. You should check the condition of the materials from time to time to make sure they haven't been damaged or started to deteriorate.

Slightly damaged asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) can sometimes be repaired by sealing or enclosing them. However, you should only attempt to do this if you have had the necessary training. Any badly-damaged asbestos material that is likely to become further damaged should be removed if it cannot be protected. Some materials (sprayed asbestos coatings, asbestos lagging / insulation or asbestos insulating board) should only be removed by a contractor licensed by HSE. Your local environmental health officer can provide advice on this.

If you are planning any DIY home improvements, repairs or maintenance – and intend to bring in any additional builders, maintenance workers or contractors – you should inform them of any asbestos materials in your home before they start work. This will help reduce the risks of any ACMs being disturbed. HSE strongly encourages the use of trained professionals to repair or remove ACMs. If you choose to carry out DIY repairs or remove damaged asbestos materials yourself, make sure you wear the right protective equipment and follow safe working methods. For advice on doing this, see: Asbestos essentials task sheets.

In addition, please be aware that ACMs need to be legally disposed of as hazardous waste. This should not be mixed with normal household waste. You may be able to arrange to have it collected or there may be special facilities in your area you can use to dispose of it. Contact you local authority for information about asbestos and its disposal.