Double glazed windows guarantee after purchase of house

HomeBuy3780

I am planning to buy a property in which all the major double glazed windows are replaced before 5 months. Now I understand that all new double glazed windows come with 10 years guarantee.
Am I right?
What do I need from seller so that I can be satisfied that I have got guarantee for these windows? Say anything went wrong with them in next couple of years then I should be able to contact the company who installed them and get them repaired free of charge...
We are near to exchange and the only document seller had given us is Building Regulations Compliance Certificate. (No FENSA cert. I understand build reg cert is as good as FENSA? Or the seller does no need to provide with FENSA if they have got build reg cert?)

Thanks to all in anticipation...

clutton_2

each company has their own way of doing things... find out who installed them and phone them and ask if the guarantee is transferable to the next owner... it may be.. they may charge a fee...

timmyt

your conveyancer will not get involved as guarantees are a perk of any sale and legal time will be eaten looking into them. you get a copy then if you want to rely on them you do the homework before you exchnage

HomeBuy3780

timmyt wrote: »

your conveyancer will not get involved as guarantees are a perk of any sale and legal time will be eaten looking into them. you get a copy then if you want to rely on them you do the homework before you exchnage

To be honest all my legal advisor is interested in is quick exchange and completion. All the chasing for documents etc I have to do with EA... :beer:

Richard_Webster

In general terms it is safer to assume that:

a) the guarantees are not transferable and

b) that the company that put the windows in has gone out of business so even if the guarantee is transferable it is useless.

That is frequently the case with double glazing and damp proofing etc guarantees. It simply isn't worth while getting excited about them.

If the company is still in business and is prepared to honour the guarantee in the future, great, but don't bank on it.

Running_Horse

timmyt wrote: »

your conveyancer will not get involved as guarantees are a perk of any sale and legal time will be eaten looking into them. you get a copy then if you want to rely on them you do the homework before you exchnage

This is true. Our installers went out of business in the years between installation and sale. We were asked for the certificate and supplied it. Nothing was ever said, and I have no idea what the status of the guarantee was. And I doubt our buyers cared as it was a pretty good job with only a short period left to run.

oz0707

why would all new double glazing have 10 years guarantee? I would think it's wrong to assume this.

Mum_of_3_3

Also, adding to Richard Webster's list:

I used to work as an accountant and in the past I have had a couple of double glazing firms as client's. They they both ran it was there is an underlying partnership and an overlying Ltd Co. The Ltd Co is the one that takes your money, hands out FENSA certs etc, they Ltd Co then employs the partnership to install the windows on a sub-contractor basis.

The reason this happens is because if there is a big claim then the Ltd Co who handed out the FENSA cert can fold and it leaves the partnership (where all the money is) untouched.

Needless to say, I agree with Richard, FENSA certificates aren't worth the paper they are written on and I'm not sure why people get all het-up about them.

M_o_3

PS The company who installed our windows ceased trading, so we have a FENSA cert for the next 4 years and no come back.

Richard_Webster

Needless to say, I agree with Richard, FENSA certificates aren't worth the paper they are written on and I'm not sure why people get all het-up about them.

M_o_3

PS The company who installed our windows ceased trading, so we have a FENSA cert for the next 4 years and no come back.

FENSA Certificate not the same as a guarantee. It certifies that the Building Regulations were complied with when the windows were put in. When they brought the regulations in for windows it was too much work for the building inspectors to check every one and the double glazing companies didn't want the extra hassle so the Glass & Glazing Federation set up FENSA and the government allowed them to issue certificate.s Each company would have a random sample of its work checked by FENSA to make sure they did comply.

So a FENSA certificate for work done by a company that has gone out of business does still have some value and will be required by a buyer's solicitor when you sell. He may ask for guarantees, but largely because surveyors tell their clients that the solicitors should ask for the guarantees, so we dutifully do this so we can report the (usually negative) result of our enquiries.