Retrospective FENSA or building regs certificate - worth the risk?

AJD222

I took the advice of some helpful people on this forum earlier this year regarding a lack of FENSA certification for the windows on a property I was purchasing. I now own the property and am considering whether it’s worth getting retrospective sign off (if that makes sense… Google says it’s called a Retrospective Building Regulation Compliance Certificate) on our windows so a) we don’t have to worry about it when we sell in the future, and b) so that if there are issues with the windows, we are aware of this before spending £20k on new external render next summer. I wouldn’t want to render the house and then have to rip half of it back off while replacing the windows…

I’m trying to understand how risky it is to ask the LA to inspect our windows. If they decide they aren’t compliant, do we just get no certificate or will we be legally required to replace all windows straight away? I wouldn’t mind delaying the re render for a while and eventually replacing the windows, but I defo can’t afford to replace them right now.

Is it worth getting a window fitter around to give me an idea of whether they’ll be compliant before I snitch on myself to the LA?

for context, the windows are UPVC and fitted in 2004 according to a neighbour. I’ve checked the FENSA website and the installation wasn’t registered on there. The windows are in very good shape and I reckon I could throw myself out of the upstairs windows if there was a fire. I wouldn’t know anything about their U value, though. 

born_again

Fensa cert is only for 10 years

So if you had no issues buy property, why do you think you will have selling, on 20+ old windows.

WIAWSNB

A couple of Q's;
1) Are the windows in good shape?
2) Could you throw yerself out of one?
Cool. Stop worrying about retro.

stuart45

It's gone past the time for an enforcement notice, so Building Control would need to go to the High Court to get you to change them, which is highly unlikely. With windows of that age I'd agree with born_again that it shouldn't be an issue. A FENSA certificate is valid indefinitely though, as long as the windows are not changed.

casper_gutman

Is the retrospective process based on the regulations that applied at the time the work was carried out or the current regs? I would assume the current regs would be applied. If the windows were installed 21 years ago, how confident are you that they would meet the regs now? 

RedFraggle

Could also have been registered under CERTASS or directly with building control. 
Either way I'd not worry about it. 

AJD222

RedFraggle said:

Could also have been registered under CERTASS or directly with building control. 
Either way I'd not worry about it. 

I’ve just checked the LA website and can see they have a CERTASS record of them being fitted and signed off by the ‘competent person scheme’, but searching on CERTASS nothing for my property is coming up… reassuring though, so thank you! Going to pester them and see if I can get a replacement certificate now.