FENSA Certificates

[hartof]

We're in the process of selling our house, we've had a letter from the solicitor asking for the certificates for windows that were replaced in 2005 (2 windows others done before we bought it - before 2002) and the back door that we replaced 2 years ago.

We can get the back door one, but when I search the FENSA website the windows don't appear and the company who fitted them have gone bust. What do we do? Is this going to cause a massive problem?

If you don’t have the certificates and the work isn’t on the FENSA website, then you won’t be able to sell the windows as installed to the relevant building regulations. Your buyers might not have an issue with it,or you might need to get another company in to inspect the work and see if they can provide any certificate or else you’ll need to drop the sale price accordingly.

No I would imagine that after that length of time they won’t be required. (Not even sure fensa certificates existed in 2005!) at the worst way they will insist on an indemnity to cover any issues that could arise due to lack of having a certificate and I’d expect that to cost around £49. Shouldn’t cause any delay to selling though.

Didn't know about this site (very useful!) but my certificates from 2003 are on there.

Just say you haven't got them they're install before you bought the house you can't get them. Solicitors often just ask every possible question

Indemnity policy instead?

Yes it seems that the indemnity policy will be the way forward. We already filled in our sellers questionnaire where I put down that they were installed in 2005. FENSA came in around 2002.

You don't need a FENSA certificate if building control inspected and approved the installation.

Building control carry records going back that far, you can usually search online for them, or give the admin team a phone at the building control department at the council.

We didn't have any Fensa certificates and it didn't cause a problem at all. We didn't have to take out an indemnity policy, not sure if our buyers had to if not though, it was never mentioned.

It isn't a massive problem, you will probably have to pay for an indemnity certificate.

We are paying for an indemnity for patio doors (£20), our vendors are paying for a policy to cover some glazing (£60). Completely hassle free - just let your solicitor deal with it. Don't go approaching your council etc for advice on things like this as it could prevent you from buying a policy.

PS. The advice not to approach the council came directly from our conveyancers.

We've just sent off the certificate for the back door and told them the windows aren't covered, they've said we may have to pay for the indemnity policy but we'll see what happens.