No FENSA certificate need it to exchange contracts :(

harrys_dad

I wonder how many indemnity policies like this are sold by the solicitor who gets commission. What is there to indemnify against?

Chanes

The house we bought didn't have FENSA for some windows. I really didn't care, they looked fine to me and we will replace them in a couple of years or so. I've seen some windows fitted by FENSA fitters that were fit to drop out, what a waste of time that certificate would be on them.

Stop_Watch

On my old house me and my dad fitted all my windows and doors we bought them from a upvc suppler and fitted them much better than the fensa installed windows I had fitted in this house. After 3 attempts of getting it right i negotiated a deal for a discount and fitted them myself!!

dlmcr

Bought a house, new windows no mention of a FENSA certificate, never stopped me getting a mortgage on it. Sold a house, new windows no certificate, no problem selling and no need for indemnity. If your solicitor is telling you that you can't proceed without a certificate then I would be asking them "why?"

Plugugly

I'm a seller and didn't know anything about this when I got a local craftsman to replace complicated single glazed wooden windows in an old house with replica double glazed which are wonderful!

I'm now being asked for a FENSA certificate. I think it's ludicrous to do it retrospectively. While I understand the need to make sure window installations are done properly, this surely applies to major manufacturers and installers.

I think this is a similar tick box exercise to the EIA stuff. I paid £200 to get one for the sale, and the chap who did it acknowledged he didn't have the kit to check insulation in a very high ceiling, so he said it wasn't there. Which it was. Luckily I have the email where he said he wasn't able to check ....

I think buyers (and I'll be one again soon) should tell their solicitors what they're willing to accept. Clearly if you have a mortgage some things need to be met, but FENSA sounds to me like work for the boys. Half the craftsmen round here weren't informed about it in 2002. They now know.

Okrib

Do you have a mortgage? If so, it will probably be the mortgage company asking for this before they release funds (they love a check list).

If you are a cash buyer you can instruct your solicitor and take a view on this. Do the windows look ok? Any sign of water ingress?

FENSA certificates are generally - I stress generally - a waste of time.

Indemnity policies are pointless but a nice little scam and the mortgage companies seem to accept them. In which case if you have a mortgage get one of them.

Oh, and if you are feeling particularly cheeky, you could use it as an excuse to try to bump the price down. But that would be very harsh given that it is a probate sale.

martindow

I had some work done on my house including replacing windows. There is no Fensa certificate but it is covered by the building regs paperwork issued by the local authority.



It may be possible for the OP to search online on their LA's web site. But don't contact them directly in case you invalidate a possible indemnity policy should you ending up needing that.

Thrugelmir

Plugugly wrote: »

this surely applies to major manufacturers and installers.

Why not the small time cowboys?

Badger50

You can ask Building Control to inspect the windows and issue a regularisation certificate. My local Building Control charges £150 to inspect up to 10 windows.

SG27

I might start selling indemnity polices, (PM me for a quote) selling insurance that no one is ever going to claim against seems like a decent business model.