Problem with window

Roseanne1887

Hi everyone and Happy New Year.

I am experience problems with my double glazing window in my living room.  The room is an absolute nightmare to heat and I have noticed there seems to be a bit of a draft coming through the sides of at least one of the windows.

I went to get the phone number of the company I purchased from and the number seems to be disconnected.  I did a companies house search and the directors have resigned and while still active there is a proposal to strike the company off.  Naturally I am concerned with where I stand as I have a 15 year guarantee on the windows, which were installed 3 years ago.  There is a phone number on the guarantee but I am not sure if I would have had to go through the company I purchased from, which I clearly cannot do now.

While the majority of the purchase was financed by a loan, I paid the £1,200 deposit using my credit card so I am hoping for some recourse there.  Can anyone tell me how to resolve this please.  It was my first large purchase as owner of the house since my mother passed so was naturally quite daunting to choose someone reputable who wouldn't disappear off the radar in a few years. 

Thanks in advance. 

user1977

Not very clear what it is you think needs resolved? Is the window defective (rather than something wrong with the installation)? Is it a new defect? What does the guarantee say and who was it granted by?

Green_hopeful

Perhaps try an UPVC maintenance person. Sometimes it can be easily fixed by adjusting. We had a very draughty front door in a house we rent out. The maintenance chap replaced the seal. In another property the hinge needed replacing. Both done for under £250. They might be able to at least tell you what’s wrong if they can’t fix it. 

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Roseanne1887 said:

Hi everyone and Happy New Year.

The room is an absolute nightmare to heat and I have noticed there seems to be a bit of a draft coming through the sides of at least one of the windows.

Hello OP

When say sides do you mean the part where the frame meets the wall or between the opening part of the window and the frame?

If where frame meets the wall some sealant around the edges would cut off the draft.

There may be some screws to adjust resulting in the window closing tighter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssKjRM4meJQ

If no adjustment and it's the window effectively not closing correctly then some foam tape:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375349387739

would serve as a temporary solution to save the heat loss whilst you try to get a result from the window company*/some else out to fix. 

*Doesn't sound hopefully sadly if there is a proposal to strike off.

Regarding the the 15 year guarantee on the windows, if the company goes bust the guarantee goes unless it's insurance backed or there is some kind of protection with FENSA.

Worth checking terms too as it might not cover that much, a window not closing tight might be to do with the mechanism which may or may not be covered under the 15 year guarantee. 

Roseanne1887

user1977 said:

Not very clear what it is you think needs resolved? Is the window defective (rather than something wrong with the installation)? Is it a new defect? What does the guarantee say and who was it granted by?

Nothing wrong with the installation, I have noticed it getting colder over the last few months and it is unbearable now.  I have asthma so really not good to be sitting in a cold room most of the evening.  It was before Christmas I noticed the draft coming through so thought to myself, I will contact Bulloch Group, who was the company I purchased from, after the holiday was out the way. 

Bulloch told me the guarantee was for 15 years and they sent me the copy, which was granted by REHAU,  According to that, the guarantee was effective from the moment they delivered the window profiles.

This is an extract from the guarantee:

REHAU PVC-U window profiles are a product of over 40 years experience in extrusion. They are produced in RAU-PVC 1302 and 1406. RAU-PVC provides a state of the art material for the requirements of modern window construction. For this reason we confirm that Profile shape and dimensions conform to drawings and specified tolerances, quality of material supplied is constantly in accordance to our Technical Delivery Specification TLV UK Systems/01 and resistance to colour fastness in accordance with EN 12608:2003 (5.8.3) are all guaranteed for 15 years. The warranty excludes discolouration caused by media and/or influences, which are not covered within EN 12608 and EN513. Any warranty work will be undertaken at our own discretion either through correction of the fault or substitution of material and assumes that any fault in the profiles is quite clearly attributable to our own shortcomings. Claims beyond this, for whatsoever reason, cannot be accepted.

The guarantee goes on to name me as the beneficiary.

Roseanne1887

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Roseanne1887 said:

Hi everyone and Happy New Year.

The room is an absolute nightmare to heat and I have noticed there seems to be a bit of a draft coming through the sides of at least one of the windows.

Hello OP

When say sides do you mean the part where the frame meets the wall or between the opening part of the window and the frame?

If where frame meets the wall some sealant around the edges would cut off the draft.

There may be some screws to adjust resulting in the window closing tighter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssKjRM4meJQ

If no adjustment and it's the window effectively not closing correctly then some foam tape:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375349387739

would serve as a temporary solution to save the heat loss whilst you try to get a result from the window company*/some else out to fix. 

*Doesn't sound hopefully sadly if there is a proposal to strike off.

Regarding the the 15 year guarantee on the windows, if the company goes bust the guarantee goes unless it's insurance backed or there is some kind of protection with FENSA.

Worth checking terms too as it might not cover that much, a window not closing tight might be to do with the mechanism which may or may not be covered under the 15 year guarantee. 

Thanks very much for the tips.  It seems to be where the side of the opening part of the window meets the frame. 

I vaguely remember something being mentioned about their guarantees being insurance backed but there is nothing on the paperwork that I have to confirm this.  I found the number of the guy who brought the samples on my phone.  I have just messaged him to see if I can get confirmation.  I tried phoning first and the phone is definitely still connected so I'm hoping he confirms that it was as it would have been him that gave me these details.

Alderbank

You say that is just an extract from the guarantee.

As far as the bit you have quoted goes, the question for you is 'Is the fault clearly attributable to Rehau's own shortcomings?'

Rehau manufacture the long lengths of PVC extrusion.

The company who made your windows buys those extrusions, cuts them to size according to the dimensions of your window openings, welds them together and fits the hinges, handles, locks, etc.

The fitters, who might be the same company, install those window frames and fit the double glazing units.

What does the rest of the guarantee say?

Roseanne1887

Oh this is interesting.  I was looking to see if I could find anything online (an old cached website or something) showing that Bulloch offered insurance backed guarantees.  Some of the search results included trustpilot reviews with one person mentioning that they were trading under a new company Mahome Group Ltd.  So I did a search on companies house and lo and behold, it is the same directors that resigned from Bulloch.  I also found a page in the yell directory and the business overview says the following:

As standard we offer 15 Year Insurance backed guarantee on all our products, 15 year hardware warranty and also exclusive protection promise insurance cover.

Roseanne1887

Alderbank said:

You say that is just an extract from the guarantee.

As far as the bit you have quoted goes, the question for you is 'Is the fault clearly attributable to Rehau's own shortcomings?'

Rehau manufacture the long lengths of PVC extrusion.

The company who made your windows buys those extrusions, cuts them to size according to the dimensions of your window openings, welds them together and fits the hinges, handles, locks, etc.

The fitters, who might be the same company, install those window frames and fit the double glazing units.

What does the rest of the guarantee say?

Can't see a way to include attachments in post so I will paste everything it said here:

Dear Sir/Madam,

REHAU PVC-U window profiles are a product of over 40 years experience in extrusion. They are produced in RAU-PVC 1302 and 1406.

RAU-PVC provides a state of the art material for the requirements of modern window construction.

For this reason we confirm that
Profile shape and dimensions conform to drawings and specified tolerances, quality of material supplied is constantly in accordance to our Technical Delivery Specification TLV UK Systems/01 and resistance to colour fastness in accordance with EN 12608:2003 (5.8.3) are all guaranteed for 15 years.

The warranty excludes discolouration caused by media and/or influences, which are not covered within EN 12608 and EN513.

Any warranty work will be undertaken at our own discretion either through correction of the fault or substitution of material and assumes that any fault in the profiles is quite clearly attributable to our own shortcomings. Claims beyond this, for whatsoever reason, cannot be accepted.

The warranty is effective from the moment REHAU has completed delivery of the PVC-U window profiles. It is valid for regions with a maximum total sunlight level of 186 W/m² (=1.627 kW/h/m²/annum = 140 kcal/cm²/annum);.

The benefit of this warranty is restricted to: Rosanne Boyle who cannot assign the same without the written consent of REHAU. 

born_again

Roseanne1887 said:

user1977 said:

Not very clear what it is you think needs resolved? Is the window defective (rather than something wrong with the installation)? Is it a new defect? What does the guarantee say and who was it granted by?

Nothing wrong with the installation, I have noticed it getting colder over the last few months and it is unbearable now.  I have asthma so really not good to be sitting in a cold room most of the evening.  It was before Christmas I noticed the draft coming through so thought to myself, I will contact Bulloch Group, who was the company I purchased from, after the holiday was out the way. 

Bulloch told me the guarantee was for 15 years and they sent me the copy, which was granted by REHAU,  According to that, the guarantee was effective from the moment they delivered the window profiles.

This is an extract from the guarantee:

REHAU PVC-U window profiles are a product of over 40 years experience in extrusion. They are produced in RAU-PVC 1302 and 1406. RAU-PVC provides a state of the art material for the requirements of modern window construction. For this reason we confirm that Profile shape and dimensions conform to drawings and specified tolerances, quality of material supplied is constantly in accordance to our Technical Delivery Specification TLV UK Systems/01 and resistance to colour fastness in accordance with EN 12608:2003 (5.8.3) are all guaranteed for 15 years. The warranty excludes discolouration caused by media and/or influences, which are not covered within EN 12608 and EN513. Any warranty work will be undertaken at our own discretion either through correction of the fault or substitution of material and assumes that any fault in the profiles is quite clearly attributable to our own shortcomings. Claims beyond this, for whatsoever reason, cannot be accepted.

The guarantee goes on to name me as the beneficiary.

I think the issue you may face here is it is not the actual window material that is the issue but the actual installation of the window.

If the company that installed them are no longer trading. Then maybe another local co or handyman who could look at issue & sort it.

Alderbank

born_again said:

Roseanne1887 said:

user1977 said:

Not very clear what it is you think needs resolved? Is the window defective (rather than something wrong with the installation)? Is it a new defect? What does the guarantee say and who was it granted by?

Nothing wrong with the installation, I have noticed it getting colder over the last few months and it is unbearable now.  I have asthma so really not good to be sitting in a cold room most of the evening.  It was before Christmas I noticed the draft coming through so thought to myself, I will contact Bulloch Group, who was the company I purchased from, after the holiday was out the way. 

Bulloch told me the guarantee was for 15 years and they sent me the copy, which was granted by REHAU,  According to that, the guarantee was effective from the moment they delivered the window profiles.

This is an extract from the guarantee:

REHAU PVC-U window profiles are a product of over 40 years experience in extrusion. They are produced in RAU-PVC 1302 and 1406. RAU-PVC provides a state of the art material for the requirements of modern window construction. For this reason we confirm that Profile shape and dimensions conform to drawings and specified tolerances, quality of material supplied is constantly in accordance to our Technical Delivery Specification TLV UK Systems/01 and resistance to colour fastness in accordance with EN 12608:2003 (5.8.3) are all guaranteed for 15 years. The warranty excludes discolouration caused by media and/or influences, which are not covered within EN 12608 and EN513. Any warranty work will be undertaken at our own discretion either through correction of the fault or substitution of material and assumes that any fault in the profiles is quite clearly attributable to our own shortcomings. Claims beyond this, for whatsoever reason, cannot be accepted.

The guarantee goes on to name me as the beneficiary.

I think the issue you may face here is it is not the actual window material that is the issue but the actual installation of the window.

Maybe, but the OP said in their second post Nothing wrong with the installation. I think we should respect that.

I think the issues here are:

1. What (if any) is the fault with the windows which is causing the room to become progressively colder and colder?

1. Who is legally is responsible for that fault ( such as perhaps the insurer of that insurance-backed policy) and how can the OP get them to fix it?

(MSE's numbering system is FUBAR)