Fitted own window/door - no fensa

pinkshoes

We had a rotten wooden door and window in our kitchen, so bought decent quality uPVC products and replaced them ourself, with some help from BiL who used to work in building trade.

They've been in place for a couple of years now.

Since then, we had a new front door which a door company fitted, and issued a FENSA certificate. He was telling us we wouldn't be able to sell if we had new windows and doors without fensa certificates.

As a we might be selling soon, is this going to be a problem? Is it just a case of some sort of indemnity insurance?

Edit: hmmm, I think I should have posted this in the housing forum. Can it be moved?

stebiz

pinkshoes wrote: »

We had a rotten wooden door and window in our kitchen, so bought decent quality uPVC products and replaced them ourself, with some help from BiL who used to work in building trade.

They've been in place for a couple of years now.

Since then, we had a new front door which a door company fitted, and issued a FENSA certificate. He was telling us we wouldn't be able to sell if we had new windows and doors without fensa certificates.

As a we might be selling soon, is this going to be a problem? Is it just a case of some sort of indemnity insurance?

Edit: hmmm, I think I should have posted this in the housing forum. Can it be moved?

Replacing windows and doors now needs to meet certain standards in the Building Regulations to reduce energy loss. This means that you need to comply with the Building Regulations when installing replacement windows, doors, or rooflights in both domestic and non-domestic buildings. The Building Regulations have controlled glazing in new buildings for many years but it is now a requirement to improve the performance of existing buildings so as to achieve national energy saving targets.

When selling property, surveyors will ask for evidence that replacement glazing installed after April 2002 complies with the new Building Regulations. There are two ways to prove compliance:-

1. a certificate showing that the work has been done by an installer who is registered under the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme by Fensa Ltd, or a Person registered by BM Trada Certification Limited, the British Standards Institution or CERTASS Limited or Network VEKA Limited.

or

2. a certificate from the local authority saying that the installation has approval under the Building Regulations.
DIY projects or installations by non-registered firms need Council approval under the Building Regulations and ultimately this may be your responsibility. Therefore be sure to ask whether an installer is able to self-certify. If not, either they, or you, will need to make an application to the Council for approval under the Building Regulations and pay the current Building Regulation charge payment.

Rough guide of charges

Upto a maximum 20 windows or doors replaced and installations carried out in one operation.

Per installation upto 10 windows - £85.12 + VAT = £102.14

Per installation 11 to 20 windows - £170.22 + VAT = £204.26

Individually Determined Charges

UNLESS YOU STIPULATE THAT YOUR WINDOWS WERE INSTALLED AFTER 2002 I'M GUESSING THAT NOBODY WILL BE ANY THE WISER.

pinkshoes

Thanks for the fab reply!

The installer cannot self-certify.

I'm thinking the door looks a little too shiny to be over 12 years old...

Sounds like a load of bureaucratic nonsense to me, but might have to cough up the £102 if I don't feel confident telling a little porky!

Leo2020

Or offer to pay indemnity insurance. All our windows and doors were done without FENSA and without building control approval. However, I know they were definitely an improvement on the last windows - more fire escapes and a lot better quality. When we tried to sell we just offered indemnity insurance, which the buyer was happy with.

If you do sell soon you have to take into consideration how long it will take to get building control approval - some councils take an age and if you want to go down that route I suggest you do it now rather than wait as otherwise it could add weeks onto the sale process whilst you wait for the council to come out - which your buyer may or may not be happy with.

photome

stebiz wrote: »

Rough guide of charges

Upto a maximum 20 windows or doors replaced and installations carried out in one operation.

Per installation upto 10 windows - £85.12 + VAT = £102.14

Per installation 11 to 20 windows - £170.22 + VAT = £204.26

Individually Determined Charges

UNLESS YOU STIPULATE THAT YOUR WINDOWS WERE INSTALLED AFTER 2002 I'M GUESSING THAT NOBODY WILL BE ANY THE WISER.

I thought all double glazing is date stamped inside, if that is the case it wouldnt be hard to work out it was installed after 2002

robatwork

Having new(ish) windows is certainly going to add more than £100 to your house value so much better to cough up than pretend they are more than 12 years old.

Am all in favour of standards but the whole Fensa thing sounds a bit like jobs for the boys to me.

pinkshoes

Indemnity insurance sounds the easiest option. We're at the offer stage of selling...

The old wooden back door had the glass pane held in by nails as the frame was so rotten. I was worried about my toddler slamming it and the glass falling out, hence the need to change it. The wooden window wasn't much better.

molerat

I was under the impression this was the 21st century and the window tax had been repealed.

stebiz

photome wrote: »

I thought all double glazing is date stamped inside, if that is the case it wouldnt be hard to work out it was installed after 2002

Personally I can't see your average surveyor checking all the date stamps on windows. But that's just my opinion.

nickcc

We had a new window and door installed by a local builder back in 2008, when we came to sell the house we paid for the council to inspect and certify the installation ( as previous post) The building inspector had a meter that checks that the glazing is installed the correct way (heat reflection) and also checked the date of manufacture indicated inside the double glazing.

vaio

molerat wrote: »

I was under the impression this was the 21st century and the window tax had been repealed.

Nah, it's just been re-named (and increased)