Failed windows in an 8 year old property

sharry68

Hi can anyone offer advice on my problem (though I'm guessing theres nothing I can do other than pay out for repairs). I moved into my property (second owner) 3 years ago when it was 5 years old. As it was purchased during covid restrictions I only viewed once and wasn't allowed to get up close and personal with anything in the property. Once I'd moved in I realise the house had been quite neglected (don't think the previous owners knew what a snagging list was !). I managed to get a couple of things sorted out under NHBC warranty but my biggest bug bear is the windows. The trickle vents have failed on them all and some of the windows won't close properly, 2 in particular are horrendous, its like living in a barn and i've now had to use the insulation foam on a roll to try and improve things which has helped a little but not much. I've re-checked with NHBC and they confirm the frames and installation are not covered by them and they told me to contact the home builder. I contacted the home builder and they said its not their responsibility its the responsibility of the window installer for which they gave me the details of. I've contacted them and they say because they are now calling themselves another name they are not responsible plus new build windows don't have a 10 year warranty so I should contact the builder. I'd naively assumed all new windows have a 10 year warranty or that the build would be covered under NHBC, has anyone else come across this ?  

Doozergirl

The developer has a 2 year snagging period.  Beyond that, you're on your own.  

NHBC is a warranty for major structural faults, like subsidence.  They do not cover windows. 

The installer is responsible to nobody but the people that contracted them, ie. the developer and the developer only has a 2 year snagging period... 

It's incredible that statutory consumer rights don't apply to brand new houses, but that's where we are.  

sharry68

Thank you, I thought this would be the case  seems crazy that i can now have windows installed in this house and they will be covered by Fensa or the installer for 10 years !

EssexExile

sharry68 said:

Thank you, I thought this would be the case  seems crazy that i can now have windows installed in this house and they will be covered by Fensa or the installer for 10 years !

That 10 year guarantee the installers shout about has lots of conditions attached, and it's "up to 10 years".

Albermarle

Presuming they are uPVC windows.
There are potentially three parts to the supply chain. ( simplifying it a bit)
The manufacturer of the PVC profiles that are the basis of the frame, the manufacturer of the double glazing/sealed units and the manufacturers of the other bits ( handles, locks, hinges) 

Then you have the window fabricator. They take the products from above, and make the whole window to the correct measurements, ready to install.

Then you have the installer.

Often the fabricator and installer are the same company, but not always.

So with this in mind do you have any idea from which part of this chain the problems have occurred. In other words is it poor installation? or have hinges failed, or frames distorted . As well as the installers 'guarantee' the manufacturers will also have guarantees on what they supplied. Plus they tend to be bigger well known companies that maybe can be pinned down.
Shot in the dark but you never know.

born_again

For the windows that won't close. have you tried a local co that will have a look, as it could be as simple as needing adjusting.
Might replace trickle vents as well.

GDB2222

born_again said:

For the windows that won't close. have you tried a local co that will have a look, as it could be as simple as needing adjusting.
Might replace trickle vents as well.

^ This!  Surely, it is worth a shot, before shelling out many thousands for new windows?

Albermarle

GDB2222 said:

born_again said:

For the windows that won't close. have you tried a local co that will have a look, as it could be as simple as needing adjusting.
Might replace trickle vents as well.

^ This!  Surely, it is worth a shot, before shelling out many thousands for new windows?

Or at least they could help to actually identify what the problems are, and maybe the source of them/

Postik

The NHBC warranty is not worth the paper it's written on.  For a start it doesn't cover the vast majority of things.  As Doozergirl pointed out it covers major structural issues.  Even then, expect them to try and wangle out of it if they can (they are an insurance company after all).

Then there is the minimum claim amount of typically £1,500.  So have something critical that is going to cost £1,450 to fix and you're still on your own to sort it out.

It's bizarre that if you had windows independently fitted they would likely have a 10 year warranty, but have them on a new build and they have a 2 year warranty.  It really speaks volumes about the developer's confidence in their workmanship when you can buy a car with a 7 year warranty and a TV with a 5 year warranty, but a new house only has 2 years.

I had a bunch of little plastic end caps fall off my Georgian bar upvc windows.  I contacted the original window installer and they didn't want to know.  Eventually I managed to find a small independent window fitter who ordered me a bag of them for about thirty quid.  I would ask around and see if you can find a window doctor.  The vents can be replaced and the windows can probably be adjusted, or the hinges replaced, so that they close properly.

ComicGeek

Postik said:

It's bizarre that if you had windows independently fitted they would likely have a 10 year warranty, but have them on a new build and they have a 2 year warranty.  It really speaks volumes about the developer's confidence in their workmanship when you can buy a car with a 7 year warranty and a TV with a 5 year warranty, but a new house only has 2 years.

It speaks more about demands of purchasers - manufacturers have extended warranties on cars and TVs to persuade purchasers to buy their products instead of their competitors, it's bizzarely not even considered by house purchasers.

No company is going to offer a longer warranty than they have to - if people refused to buy new build properties with only a 2 year warranty then this would be changed over night, but they don't.

Section62

Postik said:

It's bizarre that if you had windows independently fitted they would likely have a 10 year warranty, but have them on a new build and they have a 2 year warranty.  It really speaks volumes about the developer's confidence in their workmanship when you can buy a car with a 7 year warranty and a TV with a 5 year warranty, but a new house only has 2 years.

It's not so much 'confidence in their workmanship' as not wanting the cost and hassle factor of guaranteeing a house for that length of time.

A long warranty on a car effectively ties you in to having maintenance carried out by the manufacturer's dealer network, which brings in £££.  If the TV goes wrong the manufacturer is likely to tell you to dump it and they will send you a new one.  Both of which have either positive benefits for the manufacturer and/or are low cost/hassle to operate.

Having to operate what would in effect be a property maintenance network (or hire the service in) which is likely to involve multiple visits to site each time the property owner claims a fault, is a lot of hassle and won't be cheap.

There's also the issue that people like to personalise their home and make alterations.  Decorating, changing kitchens and bathrooms, adding conservatories and extensions etc.  If the builder is going to be held liable for 10 years, then either the scope of what changes the owner is allowed to make, or the scope of the builder's liability, would have to be altered to suit.

If people made changes to their cars in the way they change their homes then they wouldn't be getting a 7 year warranty on them.

It is understandable housebuilders aren't going to offer free extended guarantees on everything unless the market (or government) makes them.