If you are installing replacement windows or doors, you will need to make sure they comply with building regulations.
Under the building regulations, all replacement windows and doors installed after April 2002 need to meet strict thermal performance standards to reduce energy loss. If you are just replacing the glass, these standards do not apply.
How this affects you
It is your responsibility to make sure that replacement windows and doors comply with the building regulations.
This will be particularly important when you come to sell your property, as your buyer's surveyors will ask for evidence that any replacement glazing installed after April 2002 complies with the building regulations. If you cannot prove this, it could delay or stop the sale.
There are two ways to prove your windows and doors comply:
- A certificate showing that an installer, who is registered under the FENSA scheme, has carried out the work
- A certificate from us saying that we have approved the installation under the building regulations
The FENSA scheme
Installation companies who meet certain standards can register under the Glass and Glazing Federation's FENSA scheme.
This scheme, which has government approval, allows companies to self-certify that their work complies with the building regulations.
FENSA-appointed inspectors inspect the work of every installer and any who fail, can be suspended or excluded from the scheme.
FENSA also informs us of all completed FENSA installations and issues certificates directly to householders to confirm they comply with building regulations.
Before you sign a contract to buy replacement glazing, we would advise you to ask if the installer can self-certify.
If you do not use a FENSA registered installer
If you do the work yourself or use a firm that is not registered to self-certify, you will need to apply to us for approval under the building regulations.
Contact us