Hi, We had a new kitchen fitted and the cowboy builder we used he causes numerous major problem since it was fitted. 

He never pointed out when he removed the kitchen that the old floor was vinyl and could contain asbestos. He fitted the kitchen and new flooring over the top of it but sawed various places through the vinyl to make access points for the plumbing etc. We moved out during the works.

Since then we had a bad flood and got an emergency plumber out who to gain access to the floor used a circular saw to cut out an approx 60 x 30 cm section. There was sawdust everywhere and the vinyl tile under the plyboard smashed into many pieces. To re affix the section he'd cut he then drilled the board, with vinyl tile attached in about 10 or more places.

A few months after that we had another plumbing issue elsewhere in the kitchen and another plumber used a circular saw direct on the vinyl tile to gain access and it cracked again in multiple places. It was a similar sized cut to the first.

We were completely oblivious at the time that it was asbestos so whilst the plumbers hoovered up most of the mess, there is still a lot of sawdust debris under the kitchen units, behind the plinth.

However after the first flood the plinth was off for about 4 months. Even when we reattached the plinth there is a 1.5cm gap where air can get through.

About a year later I must've seen something on the tv etc  and realised the old  floor could contain asbestos. I was filled with terror, I have 2 young kids and the downstairs is open plan, so I had a test done on the tile and it was confirmed that is contained asbestos.

The inspector came to our house and at the time reassured us that it was nothing to worry about, the vinyl tile is so well bonded with other materials it would unlikely to release any fibres. It was such a relief, on the way out I mentioned there was dust behind the plinth and he said not to touch it and if we did want to remove it to spray it wet and use some wet rags to remove. 

We never did this, as he said there was nothing to worry about and I thought if he'd of been concerned he'd tell us to get it removed immediately.

A year later  I rang the inspector for some advice on something else and I mentioned the floor again. He was taking about vinyl tiles being non-friable unless they're ground down to a powder. I then questioned if  the plumbers used a circular saw and drill doesn't that mean it was reduced to powder form.He said he couldn't comment on whether fibres might've been released or not. If I'd of known that when he first visited we would have had the dust removed inmediately.

I'm so scared and confused. Like many I've searched the web trying the find out the risk we have suffered, especially as the dust was sitting for 4 months when the plinth was off and would have been disturbed by us walking around the kitchen. However I'm also concerned that we've inhaled this stuff for 3 years as some fibres would have come through the gap between the plinth and kitchen units.

Any advice would be appreciated.