Advice for homeowners
Meet your
FENSA Advisor
This is Harry.
You might recognise him from our TV ad.
Harry works for a FENSA Approved installation company. He's on a mission to help professionalise installers and protect homeowners across the UK, so he started this advice column.
The Good the Bad and the Ugly
I don't think it's just me, but you've got to admit it - we all love a spaghetti western, don't we? What about a John Wayne classic (the duke)?
But - and this is the big question - would you want John or Clint Eastwood fitting your windows? Well, it would be entertaining but once the work was finished, I don't think I would be too happy, so no, I wouldn't want them fitting my windows either.
However, there are so many cowboys are out there who do get to fit people's windows - and they do a nasty job which unfortunately costs the consumer far too much money in the long run.
Pretty much every industry has its fair share of cowboys, the building trade in particular is well known for it.
However at FENSA, we are determined to help you the consumer spot them, and more importantly, avoid them like the shootout at the O.K Corral... Think of us as Wyatt Earp and his brothers!
Find the Right Installer
Not only are we here to try and help you avoid the cowboys, but we also actively prosecute report them to and work with both trading standards and local authority building control where relevant to prosecute them. We encourage anyone out there, if they have had experience of cowboys, or know of any, to report them to us.
So if you are getting new windows fitted, take a few moments to read our Find the Right Installer section below. In the long run, it can save you a lot of pain and your own western altercation.
Find a FENSA Approved double glazing installer near you with our handy postcode search and get a FENSA certificate when the job is done. If you're looking for more window and door advice, you can visit click through and find some useful tips.
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What to check before appointing an installer
Check that you use a FENSA Approved Installer but also check the following:
- Ask family and friends who have used installers about their satisfaction and whether they got a FENSA certificate.
- Check the installer's references by talking to their previous customers.
- Get at least three quotes and check you are being quoted like for like.
- Cheapest is not always best and good contractors are always in demand.
- Get quotes, timeframes and the fact that you will get a FENSA certificate all in writing. A proper written contract with an agreed completion date will help prevent confusion later on
- Check the warranty on the installer's work and ensure they have enough insurance to cover their warranty. Domestic glazing installers that are registered with a competent person scheme like FENSA are legally obliged to provide warranty insurance to cover your installation should the company cease to trade within the life of the warranty.
