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Awww Cologne don't be daft! Get on to your health centre and explain your circs, get them on side, and ask for advice. Maybe they'll have some clout with the HA and will find an agreeable solution for you.
It's a rented house, so I haven't thought about it enough. Also (get the fiddles out), with hospital and all that carp, it just wooshes over my head. Thing is, if it had really let rip, I'd be sitting here with water damage to my fixtures and fittings, so I really must do something about it. The HA will redecorate when it's completely dried out. I worry about the machine and the cost. I'll call my quack tomorrow and find out. Thanks for all your help everybody. 