Window catches for UPVC windows

[wilburthewalrus]

Can anyone recommend some window catches that will work with our UPVC window frames?

We've just moved house and the windows in the new house are a nightmare in that they hinge at the top, don't lock and just have two handles that lift up at the bottom, at which point the whole window swings itself wide open. Even my mum was nearly pulled out of one while washing the windows and we have two kids under three! We badly need to put some safety catches on them so we can make sure the kids can't get them open, and so we can actually have them locked open a little if we ever get anything approaching a summer, but all the catches we've seen seem only to be suitable for wooden frames, or else don't work with the design of our windows.

Does anyone know where to get good window locks that work with plastic/upvc frames? At the moment I am just keeping them all firmly shut all the time and making sure there's nothing to stand on near any of them!

you can get window limiters that prevent them opening far (and some hinges have inbuilt limiters) but plastic windows vary a lot; I would be inclined to ask around for recommendations of a local person who repairs plastic windows, for at least the first one or two. You can watch how it's done and decide if you want to try DIY nex time.

There is sure to be a local repairer, because plastic doors and windows often go wrong

I had just this problem in a rented property. We attached some chains far down near the base the handles with jubilee clips, screwed a ring to the wooden windowsill and used small padlocks to secure them.

I am wondering the same thing, we are about to (fingers crossed) move to another house that has exactly these windows and I have a toddler, I have tried to look up such a device, they do seam to exsist but the information is very confusing and I don't know which is the correct fixing.

sorry to not be able to help but hopefully someone will come along who can help us both!

I think it will be very difficult to identift the correct product without looking at the actual window, and having some experience of fitting extra catches.

I wouldn't want to do it. I can understand wooden windows though.

Try a local double glazing company, they will probably come out and put a restrictor on for as little as £5 or £10 per window. Look in yellow pages for the one physically nearest to you, if it's just round the corner it's not too much bother for them.

We had similar problem and they put in this sort of thing.

Thanks fossil, DH looked at that and said "Ooh, yes. That's exactly what we need!"