Residents of a Housing Executive estate in Enniskillen say gas installation work was halted after workers identified suspected asbestos in their homes.

Gillian Emerson, who has lived in Ferney Rise since 1993, said an installer refused to proceed with fitting gas to her home on September 9 after inspecting stippled ceilings and the loft.

Ms Emerson said she was first approached by a Housing Executive representative in April about switching from oil to gas. She agreed and a box was installed outside her house, but the gas connection was not completed.

She said she was later told by a Housing Executive operative that her house would not be touched because it contained asbestos. Ms Emerson said she was not previously aware an asbestos survey had been carried out on the property.

She said she felt she should have been fully informed about the presence of asbestos and has been unable to get a satisfactory response from the Housing Executive despite repeated calls.

Ms Emerson said she had previously scraped a bathroom ceiling that was damaged by steam and had cleaned out a dusty attic, and she now fears those actions may have disturbed asbestos. She said installers told her there was asbestos in the loft.

Another resident, who asked not to be identified, said workers also stopped a gas installation at her home around March after entering and then leaving, citing asbestos in the ceilings. She said a bathroom ceiling later came down and the repair left a crack, and she wants asbestos removed because her grandchildren visit regularly.

In a statement, the Housing Executive said asbestos only poses a risk if disturbed and that it has a programme to manage asbestos in its properties. It said inspections include checks for asbestos, and asbestos found during improvement work is removed. Tenants are advised of necessary processes when asbestos is identified.

The Housing Executive said asbestos in the majority of its properties is low-risk and often present in inaccessible areas. It said asbestos was commonly used in construction materials before 2000, including some textured ceiling finishes.