I live in the UK and have just redecorated a bedroom in the house and discovered that the light switch - which has never worked since I moved in 6 weeks ago - used to be a two way switch. The previous tenant has (presumably, because I can't see it) cut the wire to the second switch, blocked it and cemented it into the wall.

Now, I have just one two-way switch which doesn't work. Can I change this to a single switch and if so, how? When I took the plate off the wall to look at the wires, there are two lots of red, blue and yellow wires, plus one large green wire (earth) wired to the metal casing. I desperately want to get the light working and while I'm sure it's easy enough, I want to make sure I get it right. Can anyone help please?

Matt, November 2008

this should of been done before you decorated.
Turn off the power to the lights and remove all wires
going to the switch. remove the switching wires from the
light fitting. Then connect a 1mm twin and earth cable to
the light fitting as such
earth to earth
red to red (constant live)
black to the live connector of the light
the other end should connect to the switch as follows
earth to backbox
red to the top
black to the bottom.
NOTE : change of colors
the color code of cable has recently changed as such
Old Red -> New Brown
Old Black -> New Blue
earth is the same bare copper covered with yellow/green.

anon, November 2008