FENSA Homeowner Hub - Are You Missing an IBG?

FENSA is a government authorised Competent Person Scheme that monitors building regulation compliance for replacement windows and doors.

Since June 2014, as well as receiving a FENSA certificate once your FENSA Approved Installer has finished working on your home, you will also, as a mandatory requirement, receive an Insurance Backed Guarantee (IBG).

What is an IBG Policy?

An IBG is an insurance policy that provides cover for a guarantee in the event the company that issued the guarantee ceases to trade, meaning the installer is not around to honour their guarantee.

It is important to understand, an IBG policy is not a guarantee. Your guarantee will be issued to you by your installer.

What's happened?

FENSA have recently identified an anomaly with its IT system which has meant a small percentage of homeowners did not receive an IBG when receiving their FENSA certificate between June 2014 and 01 September 2021.

Does This Apply To Me?

Was your installation completed by a FENSA Approved Installer?
Has that installation company now ceased to trade?
Is there a problem with your installation that would have been resolved by the installer’s guarantee?
Did the installation take place between June 2014 and 01 September 2021?

If the answer to all of the above questions is yes, and you believe you did not receive an IBG policy post installation and you would like to make a claim for remedial works, please complete a short form found in the link below and a member of our team will be in touch to discuss the best path to addressing the remedial works.

Click the button below to complete the short form to find the best pathway for remedial works.

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If something goes wrong...

1. Is your complaint about compliance to building regulations for an installation of replacement windows and/or doors in a habitable area of a domestic building?

Yes

2. Is the company that completed the installation of your replacement windows and/or doors a FENSA Approved Installer? You can check using the Find a FENSA Approved Installer search at the top of this page.

Yes

3. Is your complaint with regards to a new build, new extension, conservatory, outbuilding such as a garage or porch?

Yes

4. Is your complaint about your FENSA Approved Installer’s guarantee?

Yes

5. Are you looking for a refund or compensation?

Yes

We advise to write to your FENSA Approved Installer, notifying them of the matters you wish to be addressed and giving them a reasonable time period to respond. If you’ve done this and you are still not satisfied, we recommend contacting your local Trading Standards office. If you are unsure, you may briefly outline your matter in an email here. (Note: this does not constitute a submitted complaint.)

Unfortunately FENSA can only review matters related to installations completed by FENSA Approved Installers. If you have already written to your installer outlining the matters you wish to be addressed and are still not satisfied, we recommend contacting your local Trading Standards office.

If your installation was completed after 2014 you may have received an insurance backed guarantee (IBG) policy. This document, also known as a warranty insurance policy, is separate from the FENSA certificate and is issued by an insurance broker. It covers the installer’s written guarantee in the event that they cease to trade. If you’re not sure if you have a policy, first take a good look through all of your paperwork. If you can’t find a policy, we may be able to help you find insurance broker’s details – send us a message via the Contact Us page. Contact the insurance broker directly to find out if you are able to lodge a claim on your insurance policy. Installations completed in 2013 or earlier may not have an IBG policy as these were not mandatory until 2014. Another option is to check with your own home insurance policy. If you do not have an insurance policy in place, it is likely you will have to cover the cost of any remedial work. In such cases FENSA will be unable to assist as it does not issue guarantees.

FENSA does not cover new builds or new extensions. We recommend contacting your Local Authority Building Control.

FENSA only covers the replacement of windows and/or doors in the habitable and heated sections of your home. For all other structures, we recommend contacting your local Trading Standards office.

FENSA covers building regulation's compliance regarding the installation of the products. Any issues with the products themselves may be addressed under the guarantee given to you by the FENSA Approved Installer. If you are unable to locate your guarantee, we recommend contacting your installer directly.

Because the guarantee is issued by your installer and not by FENSA, your installer is responsible for addressing any matters covered by it. If your installer is not addressing matters according to the terms of its guarantee and you have exhausted the installer’s complaints process, we recommend contacting your local Trading Standards office.

FENSA is unable to assist with any financial issues. We advise either requesting your installer to direct you to their Alternative Dispute Resolution provider where your matter may be mediated, or contacting your local Trading Standards office.

Where there are issues regarding an installation’s compliance with building regulations, FENSA can only request remedial works by the FENSA Approved Installer that completed the installation. We cannot recommend alternative installers, however you can use the Find a FENSA Approved Installer search at the top of this page to find other FENSA Approved Installers in your area. Always check that any additional works carried out on your installation will not affect your guarantee before going ahead with them. Please note that FENSA will only be able to address matters surrounding the original installation, not the remedial works completed by another installer.

If you wish to submit a complaint about a FENSA Approved Installer and their compliance to building regulations please click here. We aim to reply within 5 working days. For our Terms & Conditions please click here Many thanks

If you wish to make a grievance against a FENSA Approved Installer, please follow the link to the form below.

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