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FENSA meaningless?

I own a flat that has 5 double glazed windows, done in 2007 by the previous owner. The company he employed are still in business and he has a FENSA certificate I received on purchase of the property from the fitters/double glazing company.

Now to the double glazing itself, some of the worse I have seen, what can/should I do?? Is there any chance of recourse? How do I get rid of the plastic surrounds which jut out the walls?

Here are the windows in question:

2014-05-20173157_zps8f10345a.jpg

2014-05-20171442_zps4fb22c60.jpg

2014-05-20171339_zps7f71bb4a.jpg


2014-05-20173141_zps92ace60a.jpg

2014-05-20171106_zps250ef058.jpg

2014-05-20170900_zpscea3f998.jpg

2014-05-20171131_zps4f0c05f0.jpg

and so on..:(

Comments

  • xyz123
    xyz123 Posts: 1,674 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    What is the actual problem with double glazing? Have u tried to talk to the window fitter and explain problem?
  • pine77 wrote: »
    I own a flat that has 5 double glazed windows, done in 2007 by the previous owner. The company he employed are still in business and he has a FENSA certificate I received on purchase of the property from the fitters/double glazing company.

    Now to the double glazing itself, some of the worse I have seen, what can/should I do?? Is there any chance of recourse? How do I get rid of the plastic surrounds which jut out the walls?

    Here are the windows in question:

    and so on..:(
    Question. Was the problem picked up in the survey?

    I suggest most of the problem is cosmetic and has nothing to do with the actual double glazed unit.
  • pine77
    pine77 Posts: 138 Forumite
    The survey mentioned poorly fitted double glazing and stated I should ask for a FENSA certificate - which I received from the vendor. The seals around some of the glazing are poorly applied and falling away. The whole things looks like it was done by a poorly trained amateur.

    I am wondering what I should do.
  • chrisw
    chrisw Posts: 3,960 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Regardless of fitting, they look heavily nicotine stained which is unlikely to come off. You would probably be better budgeting for new windows.
  • zzzLazyDaisy
    zzzLazyDaisy Posts: 12,497 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    a FENSA certificate is not a guarantee or a warranty about the quality of the work in general, it simply confirms that the work was done to Building Regs standards at the time it was done. If it turns out that the work does not comply with Building Regs, you can complain to FENSA - but in reality Building Control are unlikely to come out and do a spot check or serve an enforcement order on you, so the only way you'd know if there was a buildings reg issue would be for you to pay the £450 (or whatever it is these days) for them to come out and check the work.

    So you'll get no help from FENSA for cosmetic problems, or complaints about workmanship falling short of a contravention of building regs.

    As a side note - the time to raise this issue was before you purchased the property by seeking to negotiate a lower price to reflect the poor work / cost of having remedial work done.
    I'm a retired employment solicitor. Hopefully some of my comments might be useful, but they are only my opinion and not intended as legal advice.
  • Mgman
    Mgman Posts: 28 Forumite
    10 Posts
    How long have the windows been installed as I also noticed they are looking very nicotine stained. I to would be looking at replacing them as well.
  • pine77
    pine77 Posts: 138 Forumite
    Thanks for the comments.

    The windows were put in in 2007. The Nicotine comes off with certain stronger products. I got a slightly reduced price for all the damage in there.

    I am wondering how much it would be to cosmetically fix the frames or even put back the original sash windows?
  • molerat
    molerat Posts: 35,927 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    FENSA is just another nanny state tax, nothing more, nothing less.
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