New UPVC windows & doors are draughty

Snax192744

MysteryMe said:

Did you pay over £100 using a credit card for any part of the purchase?

Yes, we have already paid for the installation, in October. This has been ongoing since then. 

MysteryMe

If you get no resolution from the installer then make a claim against the credit card issuer under S75 of the Consumer Credit Act. If the windows and French doors have not been installed properly then you will need to pay for someone to rectify that, so that is the basis of your claim. Document all your evidence, photos, thermal images etc. 

Snax192744

MysteryMe said:

If you get no resolution from the installer then make a claim against the credit card issuer under S75 of the Consumer Credit Act. If the windows and French doors have not been installed properly then you will need to pay for someone to rectify that, so that is the basis of your claim. Document all your evidence, photos, thermal images etc. 

Thank you for this advice. 

Snax192744

Thank you all for the advice on here. 

I contacted the company and provided further photos as evidence of an unreasonable job and poor quality product. We have decided to get a whole new set installed from another company. 

They have offered to refund our deposit now and the rest when we have returned the windows and doors on the condition they are not damaged etc. 

This could be weeks away by the time we have ordered the new windows. Does this sound acceptable? 

chrisw

That sounds acceptable in principle. However, how on earth are you going to be able to return the windows undamaged? They will have holes in from the fixing screws and expanding foam stuck to them. Windows are usually bespoke so it's not as if they could reuse them on another job so I'm not sure if they're trying to get out of refunding with that clause.

Snax192744

That’s my worry, once the windows are returned they will be damaged in some way. 

fisher66

I'd like to bet that expanding foam wasn't used.  Given the poor silicone work I doubt they cared much about the installation.  A lot of fitters don't use expanding foam.  If the new installers are careful they may get the existing windows out in one piece but there may be some inevitable damage.

MysteryMe

In an ideal world they should come and take them out themselves but it's likely to be difficult logistically for them to take their windows/doors out and your new people being ready to install the new windows and doors. 

I think you should inform them in writing that you will instruct the new installer to remove them with care but that the nature of window removal is such that some level of damage is almost inevitable and you will not be liable for that damage.  Remind them that they are the ones at fault and if the goods had been installed correctly in the first place they would not be needing to be removed and the resultant inconvenience this has caused you.

You also need to think how the windows/doors are going to be returned to them, are they going to collect them, are they expecting you to so that, do you have a suitable sized vehicle, are they local etc.

Snax192744

Thanks for this. Yes, we will propose that the new installers remove the doors and windows and they will need to be collected by them. 

They have suggested to remove them and board up the space until the new ones are installed but I don’t think this is appropriate and may cause more damage to the space when boarding it up. 

I’ll ask them about what counts as damage to the windows when they are removed as this is unavoidable. Otherwise I guess we’ll have to go down the Section 75 route to claim it back? As you said, they need reminding they are in the wrong! 

stuart45

That's extra cost to you to board them up as well.