Window guarantees and insurance

sienna312

We're nearing completion on purchase of a flat. The flat is part of a much larger development comprising detached / semis / terraces as well. The windows in the property are the original windows that were installed when the block was built, which was ten years ago. The NHBC certificate has only just expired.

We've heard Fensa provide window guarantees but as these are the original installations, apparently the guarantees are part of the planning permissions that confirm that the windows comply with building regulations (so the council rather than Fensa would have certified the installations as compliant, and this would be as part of the whole development). Phoned the council and they confirmed that the developers should be able to provide paperwork for this.

The lease says that we are responsible for the windows. Still waiting to hear about a breakdown of what is actually covered in the block policy, and if the windows are or not (if not it would mean taking out insurance for the entire unit rather than just contents, which isn't what we were expecting).

Concerned that in the event that a claim on windows had to be made, insurance providers might ask for documentation confirming the window installations were compliant with building regulations?

Do we also need a certificate of completion on the development then, too?

Would not having this documentation in order make selling the property further down the line more difficult? There is nothing actually wrong with the windows right now, but they're already ten years old and they're only going to get older which means they'll start to ware at some point.

We're first time buyers so navigating this is a bit tricky. Are we being way too pernickety and worrying about nothing?

eddddy

I think that you may be misunderstanding what building insurance covers.

It covers things like storm damage, fire, explosion, impact by a vehicle etc (Take a look at buildings insurance policy for more details.) And your freeholder's buildings insurance will cover damage caused to your windows for those risks.

There is no insurance policy that you can buy that will cover the cost of repairs/replacement if they go rotten, or if they have been fitted badly. You will be responsible for paying that.

If you are worried about the condition of the windows (and that you might have to soon pay for repairs because they are going rotten or were badly fitted), you should ask a surveyor to inspect them and give an opinion.

sienna312

Ah yes - but would certificates from planning permissions that say they were installed correctly still be necessary in the event that a claim was made? As in, a certificate of completion from the planning permission? And wouldn't not having this make it more difficult to sell in a few years time?

davidmcn

sienna312 wrote: »

Ah yes - but would certificates from planning permissions that say they were installed correctly still be necessary in the event that a claim was made? As in, a certificate of completion from the planning permission? And wouldn't not having this make it more difficult to sell in a few years time?

You're mixing up planning permission with building regulations, but in any event (a) insurers don't care, and (b) it doesn't sound like it's even an issue, as what you have is the original building, all of which would have been covered by the developer's original planning and building regulation consents.