Building regulations

Since April 2002, all replacement glazing has come within the scope of building regulations. This means anyone who installs replacement windows or doors has to comply with thermal performance standards (just replacing the glass is exempt). Building regulations exist to ensure the health and safety of people in and around all types of buildings. They also provide for energy conservation, access to, and use of buildings.

When the time comes to sell your property, your purchaser’s solicitors will ask for evidence that any replacement glazing installed after April 2002 complies with the new building regulations.

If you are using Sashed fitting services then your installation will comply with current building regulations as Sashed are full members of a self certification building regulations scheme called FENSA, when your installation is complete Sashed will register it with FENSA, who will post a building regulations compliance certificate directly to you and register your property as compliant with your local authority.

If you are fitting our windows or doors yourself or if you are using the services of window fitter then you must ensure you comply with building regulations, for either England & Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. If you or your window fitter is not FENSA registered then you must report the replacement of windows to your local authority building control. If your window fitter is registered with FENSA, then they will automatically register your fitting as compliant with FENSA who in turn will register your property as compliant with your local authority. Click here to learn more about FENSA. This guide from FENSA gives an overview of building regulations applicable to windows and doors in England and Wales: The first step is to follow this guide and install your windows as per the regulations stated in the guide.

If you are replacing windows or doors and if the item to be replaced does not already fully comply with building regulations in either England & Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, then the replacement item should NOT make the non-compliance worse. In summary, do not replace your windows or doors with anything that reduces their current safety features.

Building regulations for windows or doors should comply fully with the requirements of the building regulations approved documents which are accessible from the government planning portal here. You can also follow this guide from FENSA which gives an overview of building regulations applicable to windows and doors in England and Wales: Download the FENSA Guide to Building Regulations.