TheSubMainMan

Sorry just a rant really,

Apparently you now need a FENSA certificate to sell your house. If you have had double glazing put in after 2002. Guess what, we don't have one!

The annoying thing is our double glazing is just fine, never had a problem with it. From looking at the near empty FENSA web site the glass needs some kite mark on them.

Anyone else had to get hold of a FENSA certificate to sell there house?

Am I the only person in the world, apart from the solicitor who we used to buy the house 1 year ago, Who knows nothing about FENSER certificates?

By the way I think they are a great idea and I'm sure they will make the world a better place to live in. I don't believe in anyway of form that FENSER certificates where introduced on the back of intense lobbying from manufactures of glass.

alipally

I only know that we got one with our Double glazing that we had fitted last year!
The chap told us to keep it safe so that's what we did!

Ali x

SarahA

Hello! I work at a Solicitors in Conveyancing

Basically a FENSA Cert is to say that the windows that have been put in, have basically been put in safely. Now you can contact your local council and have them come out and check them for you and say they are fine. They will give you a cert/letter stating this, but the charge could be around £80 for that. It normally is the best way to go.

You won't be able to sell the house at all without a FENSA certificate or building regs. I hope this helps

Also tbh (and no dig at none FENSA supported window fitters) but any good window fitters will be supported by FENSA and give you the cert. It just helps when you come to sell it otherwise you get this problem

emelems

We have building regs certificate... will that cover it, or do we have to have a separate FENSA too?

Em x

SarahA

Nope thats fine You have building regs so it's been checked they are safe and given the all clear

alipally

Oh... Bloody hell, must get the inspector in to pass off our extension... we only had it done 5 years ago!!!

SarahA

That depends on what size it is. If it's in a certain size the council let you do it without building regs Just ring your local council and check with them

TheSubMainMan

BIG thanks to SarahA,

You know, when you don't know a lot about something, so you start to worry and think it's a bigger problem then it really is...

Well you just saved me from all that..

emelems

I second that! Cheers Sarah! We can sleep a bit better tonight..

*visions of housesale collapsing start to fade nicely*

Watty'n'Arls

Hi

Sorry to hear you are having a nightmare.

We did too, we fell into that trap last December.
The only ways round it are:
if you havent made any enquiries regarding the FENSA report then your solicitor for a fee of about 35 quid can do an indemnity insurance against the house windows and provide this to the buyers solicitors.
or
if you have made enquiries then call the local council for your area and explain the problem for a fee of about 78 quid an inspector will pop round and do a certificate to say they comply with FENSA standards. (we did have a problem whereby our new windows didnt comply with fire regs and we had to have the front of the house changed - apparently you cannot change your windows and go from a good fire escpae window to something less). Think that they are the environment and planning deparment and then click on to Building Control.

Good luck. If it makes you feel better, when we got the building inspector out he was most helpful and after the remedial work was done he came out the next day and the certificate was issued within 24 hrs.

Watty'n'arls

SarahA

That is true, your solicitors can do an indemnity policy but I'd say there is a 50/50 chance the other side will accept it. An indemnity policy still doesn't say whether they are safe or not and I would like to know the house I am buying is safe

But what Watty'n'Arls said about using a building inspector from the council is a much easier, albeit more expensive, route to getting the problem solved.

tony4563

Yet another typical, pathetic way of screwing even more money out of our pockets. Rip off Britain. No wonder we are leaving in droves.

alipally

I've no chance my extension is bloody massive!! (Extension 1/3 of the total floor area!) We' ve already had the inspector out once, she just needs to see the extractor fan fitted in the Kitchen and then we're all done! (Phew!)

Good job I posted on here and there were replies... I've added it to my to do list now!

Ali x

asher

Is this required for a conservatory as well?

SarahA

Same as my post from earlier. If your conservatory is under a certain size (your local council can tell you this as they make the rules ) then you won't need building regs.

If you have gone ahead and built your conservatory without getting prior permission from your council you may find it's over their size limit which does need building regs and will need a building inspector to come out.

Simple answer = Ring your local council and give them your sizes and go from there.