If you’ve ever sold a house, you’ll probably have been asked for a “FENSA certificate” for the windows. It’s become the name people use for the paperwork, a bit like calling every vacuum cleaner a Hoover. But FENSA is one of several schemes, and ours is CERTASS. Here’s what that means for you.
Why replacement windows need a certificate at all
Since April 2002, replacing windows and external doors in England and Wales has counted as building work under the Building Regulations. The new windows have to meet rules on things like energy efficiency, ventilation, safety glass and, in some rooms, fire escape.
There are two ways to show the work complies. You can ask your local council’s building control team to inspect it, which costs money and takes time. Or you can use an installer who is registered with a competent person scheme. Registered installers are allowed to certify their own work, and the scheme registers it with your council for you.
FENSA isn’t the only scheme
The government authorises six schemes for replacement windows, doors, roof windows and rooflights. You can see the current list on GOV.UK. They are:
- Assure
- Blue Flame Certification
- CERTASS
- FENSA
- NAPIT
- NICEIC (Certsure)
FENSA was the first, which is why its name stuck. All six are authorised in the same way and do the same job. A certificate from any of them shows that the installation was registered as meeting Building Regulations.
What CERTASS means for you
Windows Etc is a CERTASS registered installer. When we fit your windows or doors, we register the job with CERTASS, they notify your local council, and you get a certificate for your records. You don’t need to do anything yourself.
Our work is checked as part of staying registered. So the certificate isn’t just a form we fill in. It’s backed by a scheme that keeps an eye on how we install.
When you come to sell
Your buyer’s solicitor will usually ask for proof that any windows fitted since 2002 meet Building Regulations. A CERTASS certificate does exactly the same job as a FENSA one. If the paperwork asks for a “FENSA certificate”, send the CERTASS one and explain that it comes from an equivalent government-authorised scheme. Solicitors see this all the time.
Keep the certificate with your house deeds or other important paperwork. It belongs with the property, so pass it on to the new owners when you sell.
If you can’t find your certificate
Start with the installer, who can tell you which scheme they used. Then contact that scheme, as most can confirm a registration or issue a copy. Your local council should also have a record, because the scheme notifies them.
If no certificate was ever issued, your solicitor can talk you through the options. These include a retrospective certificate from building control, called regularisation, or an indemnity policy.
What a certificate doesn’t cover
A scheme certificate confirms the installation was registered as meeting Building Regulations. It isn’t the same as your product guarantee or an insurance-backed guarantee, so keep those documents too. When you’re comparing quotes, it’s worth asking every installer which scheme they’re registered with, and what guarantees come with the work.
If you’d like windows or doors fitted with the paperwork taken care of, get a free quote from our team and we’ll talk you through it.
