WHEN Emily Mann noticed the plasterboard chipping in her three-month-old son's bedroom, she thought it was just in need of some paint.

But when chunks of wall crumbled to the floor, she knew something was wrong.

"The landlord came and inspected it and told me it was asbestos," Ms Mann said.

"I contacted the asbestos people in Brisbane and told them what was going on, and they said 'get out right now'."

Ms Mann and her three-month-old son, Eli Dobbins, have been living in the Cunningham Hwy house, about 30km out of Warwick, for the past 10 months.

She said she was horrified to learn she had been breathing air that could well have carried asbestos particles, and exposed her friends, family and baby.

"The owner should have known it needed inspecting and the real estate should really investigate the house, especially knowing it's 100 years old," Ms Mann said.

After three weeks of rigorous searching for a new home, Ms Mann finally found a rental property that accepted dogs and chickens and can move out of her asbestos-ridden home - much to her delight.

She warned others living in older homes to have them checked for asbestos before it was too late.

Ms Mann's story comes as Queensland's ombudsman hinted at the failure of the state agency entrusted with the responsibility for asbestos management and recommended an entirely new oversight body.

Ombudsman Phil Clarke's report into asbestos regulation, tabled in Parliament last week, highlighted confusion over who was responsible for dealing with the toxic material.

There was found to be widespread confusion between councils and government agencies about whose responsibility it was to deal with asbestos.

The ombudsman has recommended a lead agency to act as a decision-maker on such issues.