No FENSA Certificate

[dietstartsmonday]

Hi all has any body has this situation.
House I am buying had windows installed in 2003 so should have a FENSA certificate. However there isn't one.
What now?

[LongPieceofString]

Not windows but we sold a house that didn't have a certificate for having a chimney breast removed. We had to pay for an insurance thing to cover this and the sale went ahead.

So I would think that whoever you are buying from should be able to get something similar. It shouldn't cost you anything.

[throckenholt]

I think you can look them up on the fensa website and get a copy (or get the seller to do it).

[dietstartsmonday]

ok thanks long that may be the way to go

throck I have looked them up on FENSA myself but nothing. Thing is the owner is a builder so suspect he did them himself and just hasn't bothered with a certificate. He has been there for 40 years and planned to stay but circumstances mean he is moving abroad.

[specialsubject]

he'll just have to get them FENSA-approved, he can't legally sell without.

don't get too excited though - our windows have a FENSA certificate (installed by previous owner) and it is the worst installation ever, the wind howls through the gaps at the sides. (Or it did, we are fixing it!)

[wonkylegs]

FENSA is not the only way to register for building regulations compliance.
The windows should be registered either with the local authority (you can check on the building regs/planning section for your address on your LA website) or with FENSA (you can check their database and order replacement certificates) or CERTASS (another organisation like FENSA - can again check their database & order certificates).
The easiest way is to ask the vendor where they were registered. If they weren't registered then I would be asking for them to seek retrospective sign off with building regs or a reduction in price to allow you to do so or in extreme to have them replaced & certified.
You could just leave it but you will have the same hassle when you come to sell.

[dietstartsmonday]

sigh ok thank you all. My exchange for next week is looking more and more unlikely, but yes I want it done correctly.

Have had a look at CERTASS but can't see how to search on there.

Wonder what I am paying my solicitor for really I seem to be doing all the chasing.

[throckenholt]

from the other point of view - selling my mum's house after she died. We couldn't find the certificate - didn't even know there should be one until the seller demanded it a week before exchange was due. They had all the paper work we had weeks before, and had never mentioned it.

Finally managed to track down the company who installed and got them to send a new one - but it was hassle I didn't need at that point.

I hope yours go through without too much more hassle.

[misshoohaa]

We had a window installed by our builder and had no certificate, it met building regs and was signed off by the inspector so was more than sufficient.

I wouldn't get too worried, I can't imagine that 11 years on that you would have any warranty etc so perhaps just use your common sense and judge the property without reading into the fear mongering that today's surveys seem to stir up.

[RunningGingerFreckleyThing]

It's not always the buyers, their solicitors or the surveyors who create the issues. It is often a requirement of the mortgage lender that all the necessary permissions and certificates are in place. Chat to your solicitor/conveyancer about tge options. They are acting on your behalf and in your best interests so will be best placed to advise you AND to do whatever is needed to get it dealt with. Most likely sending a letter to the sellers solicitor asking them to provide the correct documentation.
Hope you get it sorted.

[LIZS]

He can get an indemnity policy for them instead.

[dietstartsmonday]

yes its's a requirement for my lender. just frustrating!

[MisForMumNotMaid]

Could your solicitor confirm it was 2003 and not an approximation mistake and actually 2002 or earlier which would be pre Fensa?

[LEMmingaround]

You don't need to have FENSA certification, my DP is going to fit some double glazing next week and he isn't fensa registered, its not his main thing, he is a carpenter but we do a few window installations. All that you need to do is get building control to sign it off - so effectively get a third party to certify it. It costs about £250 (depends on cost of job and where you are) you can get it done retrospectively although this costs more - the vendor should be able to do this is he fitted the windows.

[LEMmingaround]

Look on a website called the "planning portal" or your local council under building control - there will be a list of charges.

[dietstartsmonday]

LEM do you know how quickly councils will do that?

[cupcake78]

You can get a copy. We did.

[dietstartsmonday]

going with the insurance