No FENSA, 20 years later, still needed?

RWHarris

Hello, 

My dad is likely to sell the family home this year. He installed all the windows himself about 20 years ago (I can see 2004 on the inside glazing). I don't believe he ever got them signed off with FENSA.

Does anyone have any experience with this? He is recently widowed so I wish to try and make things and stress free for him as possible. 

The windows are in good condition overall. But researching, I am unclear. Some say you apply for retrospective building regs approval? But I am also unclear, this is 20 years on, is that needed anymore? It's not like they were bodged in 2 years ago or anything. Not that it's too important but he has worked in construction his entirely life and recently retired. 

If you have any experience or knowledge on this please do let me know, it would be appreciated.

Thanks, 
 Richard 

silvercar

Worst case is that he will have to buy an indemnity policy against anyone taking any action, which is time barred in any case. The solicitor can arrange it, probably cost less than £200.

Flugelhorn

I had to sell mothers house under probate - she had someone fit the windows 10 years before for cash, no FENSA - I am sure she understood what she was doing.

When it was sold the buyers solicitors wanted a £45 indemnity policy for the lack of FENSA - my solicitor was going to fight the corner but I reckoned mother had saved far more the  £45 so I paid up and the sale went through fine

answer is that it is not a problem

RWHarris

Silvercar, Flugelhorn - thank you both. A relief to learn of this. Always good to know how others have personally navigated these things!

youth_leader

I bought this bungalow in March 2021 and the vendor didn't have any documents for the windows.  I chanced it anyway - three had blown within my first three months! 

RWHarris

youth_leader said:

I bought this bungalow in March 2021 and the vendor didn't have any documents for the windows.  I chanced it anyway - three had blown within my first three months! 

If it's any consolation (obviously isn't 😂), I bought my first house September 2023. It had FENSA documents, no issues.

However, the windows are far from perfect. Trickle vents missing completely in some rooms and desperately needed. One door has like an inch gap above it letting in a huge gust of air. Couple of the windows look like they're almost falling out 😂

Mr.Generous

I have bought and sold quite a few houses without any FENSA or boiler paperwork. I didn't care as a buyer - and presumably my buyers didn't. I was buying to renovate and re-sell or renovate and rent out. The buyers when I sold were buying to live in, or to let out. The only people who flap about it are solicitors.

For those interested the worst fitted windows I've ever come across were done on a former council house where the council will have used a big contractor to do possibly hundreds of homes - FENSA approved of course. Nowhere near enough frame fixings used and lack of / wrong sized / incorrectly placed glazing packers used. Big gaps filled with foam and trimmed over. Hammer on slam panels added to frames as not measured correctly.

Its usually the packers that cause failed sealed units, ask anyone who changes them. The frame fixings (sometimes called Fisher bolts) keep the window in place, an 8ft window with 2 fixings either side that you could bend the whole thing out a few inches when you pushed (yes the glass bends too) was of course FENSA certified. Ditto the bathroom window held in place with just silicone.

Section62

RWHarris said:

My dad is likely to sell the family home this year. He installed all the windows himself about 20 years ago (I can see 2004 on the inside glazing). I don't believe he ever got them signed off with FENSA.

Is the '2004' preceeded by 'BS' and a number?

Date marking of construction products is typically in places it won't be seen.  Markings you can see typically relate to compliance (e.g. with British Standards) that may need to be checked after installation.

Markings showing compliance with (say) a British Standard will show the year the standard was published (E.g. BS EN 1279:2004)

Not a big deal, but you may want to avoid telling the buyer the windows were installed in 2004 if they were actually installed later and the '2004' relates to the BS number.

theartfullodger

Sold 3.5 houses in past 5 years.  No fensa certs for any, .5 (late brother's house, sold with my sister as co-owner) house part DG, other 3 full decent DG.

No issues with buyers at all.

Just a money making scheme for FENSA.

njkmr

Fensa certificate is dearer than an indemnity policy in my experience.
I've had windows fitted for cash and sold property with the indemnity which was less than £50 quid.

stuhse

Fensa is another jobs for the boys scheme, not worth the paper it's written on. To a buyer who has got as far as offer accepted , they want the property, if they ask the question  , instruct your solicitor  to reply, "My client can't find the fensa certificates, would you still like to proceed with the purchase ?  " Answer will be yes..or at worst request for indemnity as others have said.