You can’t have shutters if your windows have monkey tail handles?

[Carbis]

Our long awaited shutters have been fitted. Unfortunately the shutters don’t actually shut with the monkey tail handles on our windows. The shutter company says we need to replace the handles with others because shutters don’t work with the original style handles we have. I really don’t want to do that as the handles are the same throughout the house and I like the handles.

The other option is the have the shutters replaced. The cost would be met by the shutter company but they are telling us the shutters will look bad because they’ll have to be so far from the window. They may just be saying this as they don’t want to fork out for more shutters but it’s hard to know as we don’t know how they’ll look until they are fitted.

I’m surprised this is an issue as so many old properties have shutters. Has anyone experienced this issue?

Our shutters were measured very carefully before manufacturing to take account of the window style (we don’t have the handles you describe but do have character windows). I’d be asking why this wasn’t pointed out before manufacture.

The guy has accepted that he made a mistake, which is why the will pay for new ones. He came for an initial consultation before we had the windows replaced and then came back to measure up again. I think he must have submitted the wrong measurements. I’m not sure why he didn’t say anything about the monkey tails at the second appointment. I guess he must have been having a bad day and wasn’t paying attention 🤷🏻‍♀️ Or the cynic in me wonders whether he thought once we’d waited for the fitting, we’d just change the handles without kicking up a fuss.

We've had shutters fitted recenlty. Our windows have modern locable handles, which I'm convinced stick out more than traditional iron monkeytail handles would. Yes, the shutters are set away from the window to provide good clearance but I think it looks fine.

That’s good to hear, thanks. I think it’s the width of the end of the handle that’s causing the issue with them closing, if that makes sense.