Faulty Cladding. Blame with the fitter or manufacturer?

Beardy13

We renovated our house 5 years ago and all windows, gutters, soffits/fascias and cladding replaced by the same window fitting company. The cladding above and below the front window has started to chip away and fade and now looks terrible. The company that installed this is now ignoring our emails. Looking online companies that sell this product offer between 10 and 25 year guarantee, so it should be within any guarantee. Who's liable the fitter or the manufacturer (if we can find out who they are)? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Tom company. 

CSI_Yorkshire

Did the company that installed it actually offer a guarantee?

ThisIsWeird

It's hard to see what the fitter could have done to cause this.
What type of cladding is it, Beardy?
Were there bushes in these locations?

grumbler

Any chance it's protective film that the fitter failed to remove?

Don't know about cladding, but plastic fascia boards that I worked with were covered with film that had to be removed. Polyethylene doesn't last long under the sunlight.

Beardy13

CSI_Yorkshire said:

Did the company that installed it actually offer a guarantee?

There's nothing on their website or over email that states there's a gurantee

Beardy13

ThisIsWeird said:

It's hard to see what the fitter could have done to cause this.
What type of cladding is it, Beardy?
Were there bushes in these locations?

I'm not saying it's the fitter that's caused this, but it's a product which they have sold and fitted which isn't fit for purpose. It's composite cladding so should last more than 5 years. There's no bushes or trees in close contact, the same has happened above the window at first floor level

Beardy13

grumbler said:

Any chance it's protective film that the fitter failed to remove?

Don't know about cladding, but plastic fascia boards that I worked with were covered with film that had to be removed. Polyethylene doesn't last long under the sunlight.

No it's not, it seems to be a protective layer to make it weatherproof. Which has clearly failed.

Nearlyold

If it's self coloured ie it's grey all the way through then I don't think it would have a seperate "protective layer" other than one to protect the surface in storage, transit and fitting. Have you tried peeling it back?

ThisIsWeird

Any chance of some clear close-ups, Beardy? Zooming in on the somewhat grainy pic, it does look like wot others have suggested - a thin clear plastic film that's breaking up and peeling off. 
If it is, then chances are it just shouldn't have been left on there. In which case, a faulty install.

In any case, I think you could cite 'not of satisfactory' under the CRA. And the installer should be the first point of contact.

Two things to try: have a peel And check to see if you have LegProt on yer house insurance. If you do, then good chance you'll have an easy solution.

Photos and peelings, tho' - pleeeez.

Doozergirl

In terms of liability, who bought the composite?  If the fitter bought it and invoiced you for it then they have some liability. 

If you bought it, it's your own issue to deal with.  

Beardy13

Doozergirl said:

In terms of liability, who bought the composite?  If the fitter bought it and invoiced you for it then they have some liability. 

If you bought it, it's your own issue to deal with.  

The fitter bought it. They are ignoring my calls/emails. Can I take legal action?