Consumers looking to purchase double glazing will encounter many “double glazing industry bodies” whilst researching door and window suppliers and installers.
Who are these double glazing industry bodies, what do they do, and do they provide value to the window companies they represent and the consumers they seek to protect?
In this article, we will explain the various double glazing industry bodies and what they mean to consumers and the trade.
The main message promoted by trade associations, professional bodies or ombudsman schemes is to minimise the risks for consumers should things go wrong. They may also be actively promoting high professional standards or implying that their members have, in some way, proved their credentials.
To a consumer, DWE would suggest that membership of a professional body, trade association or subscription to an indemnity/insurance-backed scheme does not give you automatic protection of perfect installations every time. Such membership should be one of several factors in choosing your supplier and installer.
To the door and window company, we encourage you to thoroughly investigate the claims made by any scheme and make sure that you understand what they are offering and how it could benefit your business.
The reputation of the double glazing industry
The double glazing industry is not alone in having a negative reputation. Much of the negativity surrounding home improvements is down to how a few businesses have conducted themselves.
One only needs to look at review sites and social media comments and see how popular DIY SOS-type programs are to know that there is an issue. Time and again, the media shows consumers what happens to homeowners when things go wrong with building work or double glazing, implying that cowboy builders are rife.
What you don’t see often is the media promoting installations that have gone well, showing happy customers with faultless door and window installations as it does not make for interesting reading or television. Even For example, Grand Designs structures the show to build tension by showing how close the whole project came to failing.
The double glazing industry sales process does not lend itself to engendering trust. Generally speaking, the industry tends to over-promise, which raises the customer’s expectations or use pressure sales techniques, such as:
- one-time-only offers if you sign on the night
- the “let me phone my manager for a discount” ploy
- the discount is suddenly available if your home can be used as a case study
- companies insisting on only carrying out home visits if “husband and wife” are going to be there
- cold calling and telephone-canvassing.
These tactics are still used even though there is an argument that they are no longer as effective as consumers have become more savvy. Some of the larger home improvement firms still focus their sales training on closing a sale and overcoming customer objections instead of providing them with detailed and accurate product knowledge and training.
It is also the case that the double glazing industry is not transparent with its products and pricing. Double glazing remains one of the few product groups where consumers are unlikely to know how much new windows and doors are likely to cost them unless a salesman visits them at home or the consumer visits a showroom.
Do consumers need double glazing consumer protection?
By using words such as “Consumer Protection”, “Ombudsman”, or “Deposit Protection”, the implication is that consumers are somehow at risk from the double glazing industry and therefore need protecting in some way. It suggests that customers need to be wary right from the start.
Arguably, the likely problems that a consumer could face are:
- Lost deposits – companies that have disappeared or gone into administration
- Incomplete installations – work half completed, and the builder refuses to return to the site
- Disputes over quality of work – from minor snagging to botched jobs
- Terms of guarantee – problems with completed work
- Confusion over what is genuine guarantee work or abuse/misuse of the product
The double glazing industry is not unique. Every industry has examples of companies going into administration leaving consumers out of pocket.
The double glazing consumer protection schemes
Here is a brief overview of some of the current double glazing industry schemes. Many trade associations and industry bodies are either membership organisations where members pay annual fees or are free. Others charge only for the service that is required such as insurance policies.
FENSA
FENSA stands for the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme. FENSA was set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) and others following the change in Building Regulations in April 2002 to cover installing new windows and doors. FENSA ensures that these Building Regulations are complied with.
FENSA is a self-certification scheme, and it is reported that they are making a “significant contribution” to compliance with the Building Regulations. FENSA is part of the five schemes covering Building Regulations, which include HETAS for solid fuel combustion appliances, OFTEC for oil-fired appliances, and CORGI for gas appliances and installations.
Many now regard FENSA as the most trusted scheme for compliance with Building Regulations, and membership of FENSA helps window companies install and self-certify their installations without needing a separate inspection or assessment from Local Authority Building Control.
All FENSA-registered companies are vetted and part of a re-assessment programme to ensure ongoing compliance. With over 9000 companies registered with FENSA, this is the largest of the schemes; there are others, such as CERTASS and Assure.
Any installations that fall under FENSA have insurance-backed guarantees available. Upon completion of a window installation, the customer will be provided with a FENSA certificate confirming compliance.
The Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF)
The GGF is a long-established and well-known organisation representing the double glazing industry across the entire supply chain and not restricted to just domestic installations. FENSA is a subsidiary of the GGF.
The GGF is one of the leading voices in the double glazing industry and is involved in government-level discussions promoting best practices, setting standards, lobbying and offering consumer protection. This protection is not just for homeowners. Advice, good working practices, technical help and more are available via the GGF to homeowners and window and door installers.
Consumers using a company that is a member of the GGF benefit from deposit schemes and conciliation or arbitration services and have systems to resolve any disputes between an installer and the customer.
The Double Glazing Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS)
The Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme or DGCOS aims and objectives are to protect the double glazing consumer and work to improve the reputation of the double glazing industry sector.
Members are not only restricted to home improvement companies but to those companies higher up the supply chain that provides products to the trade.
The DGCOS promotes the many benefits available to consumers, which include payment protection, insurance-backed guarantee schemes, mediation services, advice, independent inspections and access to a compensation fund.
DGCOS publicly reports case studies and other information on how they have helped homeowners who need their help and advice.
British Fenestration Rating Council (BFRC)
Most homeowners are now well aware of the window energy ratings and the energy performance labels or certificates issued with new windows. These are similar to the energy rating labels on home appliances, EPCs for homes and properties, and other energy-rated products.
The British Fenestration Rating Council, or BFRC, is the national system and testing organisation for the rating of windows. For window installers, a BFRC rating is another method of demonstrating compliance with Building Regulations. For consumers, information about the energy efficiency of their windows can influence their buying decisions. Many will opt for a window with the highest energy rating possible if this matters to them and influences them.
The BFRC issues the Window Energy rating bands (or WERs), with the most recent being the A+ Window Energy Rating. However, some marketing of A* windows confuses homeowners and creates contradictions within the glass and glazing industry. There is much debate about what exactly constitutes an A+ energy-rated window when the BFRC regard it as an A+10 figure and others regard it as an A+5. These two figures are, of course, different yet still marketed as an A-rated window.
CheckaTrade
Whilst not a consumer organisation like many serving the glazing industry, Checkatrade is gaining momentum as an online resource offering reliable and trustworthy glazing services. As with any review website, it is hard to control what complaints and negative reviews are valid or posted by disgruntled customers, unfairly harming the reputation of the otherwise good double glazing industry installers.
However, with millions of reviews and now a substantial and well-known organisation, Checkatrade may be, for many homeowners, one way of deciding whether to use a particular company. Checkatrade registered companies agree as part of their terms and conditions to allow online feedback for all to see whilst at the same time offering some level of help where consumers have complaints against one of their members.
TrustMark
TrustMark is a non-profit and Government-licensed organisation, and similar to Checkatrade, it offers consumers looking for reputable double glazing industry installers information about registered firms.
Essentially a “quality mark”, TrustMark has a vetting and monitoring procedure that annually audits and monitors its members to ensure they remain compliant. Companies registered and approved with Trustmark are independently inspected through site inspections, financial stability checks, trading records, and other essential company policies, such as suitable complaint procedures, health and safety, the provision of insurance-backed warranty schemes, and others.
Consumer Protection Association
Many may already know the Consumer Protection Association as one of the leading UK Consumer Protection Organisations. Operating throughout the UK, the CPA is another scheme that puts consumers in touch with reputable firms.
It is one of only a few organisations regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. It provides insurance and other products that protect consumers should things go wrong with their home improvement installations.
Different products and services are offered should contractors go into liquidation or administration, loss of customer deposits, financial services, etc. Vetting and inspection are at the core of the CPA in approving membership companies, and the organisation claims to deal with only reputable and competent companies. Part of this vetting procedure includes sending questionnaires and surveys to consumers using CPA-approved firms to ensure ongoing monitoring and checking.
Competent Persons Schemes
The Government introduced Competent Person Schemes (CPS) to enable companies and individuals to self-certify installations without needing Building Regulations assessment or approval.
Competent Person Schemes are not just for the double glazing industry. The full list of current schemes is available online.
For installers to be successfully registered with a Competent Persons Scheme, “minimum technical competence requirements” must be met. These include competencies for installers and also for surveyors.
Membership of competent persons schemes is voluntary. Consumers can benefit from possibly lower prices as inspection or building control fees will not apply, and installers benefit because the local council building inspector will not need to check any of the work carried out.
Insurance Backed Guarantee Company
The Insurance Backed Guarantee Company (IBG) provides insurance policies designed to protect customers’ deposits when buying home improvements. Limited to 25% of the overall contract value, these insurance policies aim to provide protection in the event that a home improvement firm ceases trading after the customer has paid their deposit and before the installation work has commenced.
Other insurance policies involve providing protection even when the company ceases to trade after installation and during the guarantee period. These policies are underwritten by larger insurance firms.
Consumers are therefore offered comfort that any deposit paid is secure. Some consumers will be comforted by this, particularly with more expensive installations such as conservatories or glazed extensions. For window firms, it should demonstrate that by offering an insurance-backed scheme, they are vetted and credible.
As with any insurance policy, it is important for customers to be aware of what they will cover and what they won’t, as well as any minimum period stipulated for claims to be made and other conditions.
Other double glazing industry and home improvement industry bodies
The UK home improvement and construction industry across the entire supply chain is also represented by many Federations, Councils and Associations. This is further added to by testing institutes, quality control organisations and many others. Whilst these do not directly affect consumers, they are used by the trade and those operating within it either to be approved as competent suppliers, processors and manufacturers or as part of lobbying and working towards changing standards.
There is a huge list of such organisations that won’t directly affect the average consumer but are trusted by the many companies active in the home improvement sector higher up the supply chain. These include:
- The British Plastics Federation (BPF)
- British Woodworking Federation (BWF)
- Council for Aluminium in Building (CAB)
- Steel Window Association
- FairTrades Trade Association
- National Federation of Glaziers
- The Guild of Master Craftsmen
- British Standards Institute (BSI)
- British Board of Agrément (BBA)
- Qualicoat
- Guild of Architectural Ironmongers and many others.
Does it matter if a double glazing industry firm doesn’t have any “badges”?
Just because a double glazing firm is not a member of an industry body this does not mean they are in any way a cowboy company or likely to do a bad job.
There are many double glazing firms that are long-established, financially secure, ethical, highly competent and professional without ever needing membership of anything except what is legally required.
And equally just because a company displays a badge does not automatically follow that every job they complete is perfect. Every installation, customer, property, window requirement, sales or administration process will be different.
Online reviews of double glazing industry companies
There are a growing number of “Trip Adviser” style review sites on the internet. Mostly, these sites work hard to block bogus and malicious reviews. We recommend leaving negative reviews only if the problem has not been resolved satisfactorily.
Our advice to window firms that have been left with negative reviews is to act on them, communicate with the customer, and, once resolved, encourage the customer to update the review stating that the problem was resolved to their satisfaction. This kind of problem resolution greatly benefits a business and demonstrates that they take complaints seriously and act on them.
What consumers should know about double glazing industry bodies
So, as you can see, there are a great many organisations, both private, non-profit, or Government-approved, set up to help consumers choose the right double glazing firm and get protection, as well as offering benefits for window firms.
It is important to understand the difference between the self-certification schemes for compliance with Building Regulations and more general schemes that deal with broader issues.
A consumer could be unhappy with:
- the quality of the external perimeter mastic seal
- the internal finishing or trimming off of windows
- scratches to handles or glass and other minor items common with window fitting.
These issues do not come under self-certification or Building Regulations. They are cosmetic and contractual matters between the window company and the installer.
Consumers will sometimes withhold final payment pending the resolution of site snagging and other items. This can be a source of frustration to both the customer and the window company and it is not unheard of for a window firm to delay giving the customer their FENSA or other certificate unless all monies have been paid. Good communication is key to resolving any dispute.
It is unclear how much notice consumers take of membership of the various schemes. However, if the purchasing decision is based on such membership, then it would be a good idea to spend some time researching the scheme in question and understanding the provisions and limitations.
As with any major purchase, doing your research is key. Recommendation and local reputation are vital to many window firms and the success of their business. It must be stressed again that in most cases, window firms act professionally and ethically, and the cowboy installer or rogue double glazing firm remains very much in the minority. As standards, legislation and specifications get even more stringent, it should become more challenging for rogue firms where they exist to continue trading., legislation and specifications get even more stringent it should become harder for rogue firms where they exist to continue trading.
If you are a homeowner and would like help with a short-list of reputable installers in your area or a double glazing industry company looking for advice on which industry bodies are suitable for your business, please get in touch.
