Your Guide to the FENSA Certificate

When choosing to install new windows or doors on your property, you will also need to ensure the work is covered by the relevant certification. This may include a FENSA certificate, or an equal equivalent. But what is a FENSA certificate, and why is one needed?

We have answered these questions in the guide below, alongside other helpful pieces of advice and information on FENSA certification and what having or not having it could mean for you and your home.

What is a FENSA Certificate?

A FENSA certificate is your reassurance that the contractor who fitted your home’s replacement windows and doors has complied with Building Regulations and used energy efficient products when carrying out the work. 

It is also the evidence you need that the installations have been registered with your local council, as well as verification that the installer’s warranty is insured (as of 6 June, 2014). This should offer you no small amount of relief if you are having replacement windows or doors installed and something goes wrong that results in the business getting into trouble.

What is Covered by a FENSA Certificate?

FENSA will cover the replacement of external windows, doors, roof windows and roof lights in a home, against the Building Regulations that apply to each of these. However, for the cover to remain in place, the property must be cited on its original footprint and the size and use of the rooms must not change.

What is Not Covered by a FENSA Certificate?

FENSA will not cover the installations involved with new builds, extensions, repairs (frame not included), porches, conservatories, or commercial properties.

What Does a FENSA Certificate Look Like?

There are several different designs of FENSA certificates, each with slightly different formats depending on the date they were issued. No matter which year they were presented, each should offer the same basic information, including:

• The name and registered address of the installer or installation company
• The type of work the installer or installation company has been approved to carry out
• The date the work was carried out
• The installer or installation company’s FENSA registration number

Do I Need a FENSA Certificate?

You will need to ask the contractor or installer carrying out work on your home for a FENSA certificate, or another certificate of compliance with Building Regulations, when having a replacement roof light, or a window or door fitted. This is important to prove that the person carrying out work on your home is a professional, will comply with the Building Regulations, will register your installation, and will offer you an insured warranty.

Not all installers comply with Building Regulations or register their work with the relevant local authority, both of which are required by law. It will be your responsibility as the property owner to ensure all installations are registered with your local council.

How to Get a FENSA Certificate

If your chosen installer is a member of FENSA, they should provide you with a certificate once the work has been completed. If you have only just bought the property and were not the owner when a window or door replacement was installed, the previous owner should have given you the document once the sale was finalised. 

A property may not have a FENSA certificate attached if:

• The installation of the windows or doors was completed before 1 April 2002, meaning the property does not need certification to say it complies with Building Regulations
• The doors and windows of the property were ordered before 1 April 2002 but installed by 30 June the same year
• The installation was certified under another scheme, or by a Building Control Officer
• The installation was not certified

What Happens if You Don’t Have a FENSA Certificate?

If you hire a door or window installer and they do not mention that you are responsible for registration, and do not offer a FENSA certificate or another certificate of compliance with Building Regulations, then you will need to pay for an inspection from Building Control.

Should an inspection reveal problems, or if there are problems with your installer and you cannot get them back to rectify the error, you may need to hire a new installer or contractor to put the work right. This will mean providing more money from your budget, while also ensuring that the new installer agrees in their quote to fix any non-compliance issues found by the building inspector.

If You Have Lost Your FENSA Certificate

If you do not have a FENSA certificate because you have lost yours, a replacement can be ordered online. You will be asked for details about your property, and as long as the installer registered your installation with FENSA, the works that were completed will have been stored in their database and can be retrieved. This service can also be utilised if you are unsure whether or not your property has certification.

In the event that you are unable to order your replacement copy online, a solicitor will also be able to obtain one on your behalf. It should be noted that this method will take longer and will be more expensive than requesting a copy online, however.

How Long Does a FENSA Certificate Last?

A FENSA certificate will typically last as long as the installed products do. It will also act as evidence of an insurance-backed guarantee, which normally lasts for up to 10 years.

These certificates are also transferable documents, meaning that when a property is sold, its certification will still be valid and passed on to the new owner. This will then last for as long as they keep the windows and doors installed on the property.

Can You Sell a House Without a FENSA Certificate?

You cannot sell your home if the relevant new installations are not covered by a FENSA certificate, or an equally valid certificate of compliance. This is because the features of your property have to have evidence that they legally comply with the Building Regulations, and it is illegal to have double glazed windows and doors fitted in a property without Building Regulations certification. 

Without proper Building Regulations certification, it is possible to face fines and even prosecution.