The problem is that we don't have the money to get a plumber in at our expense, which is why we took out the cover. Me and the lad are asthmatic and have been getting worse over the last 3 days. I am escalating the issue direct to Barclays as HomeSOS are a 3rd party call handling company.

This is still ongoing. We STILL have water dripping from the ceiling below the cylinder. Chunks of plaster are falling from the ceiling now too. An engineer was due friday to replace a valve and fix the pipework. He did not show. I spoke to someone at Barclays Saturday morning about the engineer not showing but the plumbers offices are shut until monday. I said we still have water dripping and plaster falling. Another engineer was due Saturday 8th November - again he did not show. The issue has been taken up by a complaints handler but it "could take 4 to 8 weeks to resolve". We have been a full week with no water, flushing toilet or heating. Any suggestions?

^ It was a bolt connecting the pipe from the cylinder to another pipe ( a 90 degree corner piece) - like a seal. The engineer that came Monday cut out the entire length that runs from the cylinder to the valve and left it that way. Barclays sent another emergency engineer out last night to deal with the dripping water that is coming through the ceiling. He was under the impression that he was just to stop all water from the loft tank. When he checked it, this had already been done - so he tried to find out where the water was coming from. He then followed all the pipe work and said they had made a right balls up in several area's. Also, he could not see any split on the cylinder but water is running out from the pipe that the 2nd engineer had cut out - he says the cylinder is not drained fully and this new leak is the cause. He has included all this info in his report to Barclays so we'll call them at 9am today to see what their position is now. Thanks all.

The barclays thing is like an insurance deal - covering domestic things like heating, water, locks etc and other non domestic things. Having just spoken to HomeSOS again, they are refusing to do anything more so it looks like we are stuck in a right mess. Sorry about the red type - I can't figure out the multi quote thing.

We are covered by "Barclays" against various maladies through some scheme. For the last few months a small pipe that connects to the water cylinder has been slowly dripping - nothing major ( we just collected it in an old ice cream tub 5 -10 mm total), but we thought we'd see to it via BArclays. They sent out a plumber from HomeSOS who arrived at our house at 10:15 PM. He spent 45 minutes wrestling with a bolt on the pipe and gave up. He said he could replace the pipe but he would need to drain the entire water system and that could take a few hours. It was gone 11pm by this time so we asked if someone could be sent out the next day as we had work - he said no worries - he'd give the company an update when the office opened at 9 the next day and they'd call to arrange a suitable time for an engineer to come and do the work. The next day - no call - but on his way down stairs my son notice water building up on the plaster below the airing cupboard where the cylinder is. On checking, the plaster was wet. Over the next few days it continued to build until the plaster began to fall off the ceiling on the stairs, directly under the cylinder. We called Barclays and explained the new situation and they aranged another engineer who arrived Yesterday ( 2nd november). He had a look, drained the whole system, took various bits of pipework off and told me that the cylindar was split and would need to be replaced. Whilst he was here, water started to drip quite quickly from the wet plaster below to cylinder, soaking the carpet. We had to put 3 bowls down to catch the water. He said that he would get onto the office 1st thing in the morning to get a new cylinder and pipework fitted. He also told us that although we would have no hot water - we would have cold water and therefore would be able to use the shower and the toilet. He was here for about 4 hours total and left about 5:30pm. When he left, we realised that we had no water at all upstairs, which is where our single bathroom/toilet is. This morning we waited for them to call - then we called Barclays to chase and at 13:00 HomeSOS called us to say that they didn't deal with replacement cyliders and that there was nothing further they could do. They mentioned something to do with not having the work done when the first engineer came. I explained that we originally called because we had a small drip from a small pipe. The first engineer came at 22:15, could not undo the bolt but ASKED us if we wanted him to drain the system. We asked if it could be done the next day given the time and he said yes. Even then we had to chase to get another engineer - and that was becasue the plaster was wet. When the 2nd engineer came, he drained the system, RUINED the landing carpet by not using any carpet protector (Black stains all over from the pipes he removed), told us the cylider was split and left us with a dripping ceiling and no water to the bathroom. HomeSOS are ringing back shortly to se what they can do. Where do we stand here? It seems to me that if the cylinder was split, it was caused by the first engineer using a huge wrench trying to move the bolt on the small pipe. As I said, we had NONE of these issues before the 1st engineer came. Now we have no hot water anywhere, no cold water to the only bathroom, small holes in the ceiling plaster with water dripping quickly through, a wet carpet under these new leaks and a ruined carpet on the landing. And now HomeSOS say they cannot replace the cylinder. Help. Please.

Hello - I am hoping someone may be able to offer some advice. My stepmum has been wearing glasses for 30 years and decided she wanted some newer specs. In April 2009 she went to Vision Expresss for an eyetest. The test said she needed stronger lenses than she had been using. Armed with the prescription, she went to Optical Express in June 2009 and paid £560 plus a NHS voucher for £245 for a pair of varifocals. As soon as she got them she couldn't see with them. She pointed this out in the shop and the girl in Optical Express said the arms were too long, making the lenses too far from her eyes, and the arms were adjusted. This made no difference whatsoever. She has been back 5 times and on occassion has had the shop staff sniggering while it was suggested that having one ear bigger than the other may be the reason. I suggested she go to boots today and get another eyetest. The result was different by nearly a full point in each eye - the glasses she had paid for were far too strong for her. I believe we have a case for a full refund but from who? Optical Express made the glasses but did not do an eyetest - they went by the prescription from Vision Express. Vision Express did the eyetest that gave the wrong prescription - but on the 26th October, it will be 6 months since the eyetest. Being 70, I doubt that they could get away with the excuse of "her eyesight must have improved". Who is at fault? Which law covers this? Any and all advice greatly appreciated.