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Insuring your glazing – advice for windows & doors

| 24.08.18

Like anything in life, home improvements can sometimes go wrong. But what happens when something happens to windows or doors you’ve had installed in your home?

Are you insured?
Do you have valid guarantees?
Can you go back to the company who installed or sold you the windows and/or doors?
And what happens if the company is no longer in business?
What if the replacements or the repairs are costing you money, time and inconvenience?

It can be a nightmare but with a bit of forethought and using the right company, the nagging questions can be easily avoided and problems kept to a minimum.

Three key tips for ensuring you are covered.

When your windows are being installed ask the company you’ve employed about the product guarantees (sometimes referred to as warranties).
Check the guarantee is insurance backed (i.e. that there is an insurance policy underwriting the guarantee).
Check the small print in the guarantee and make sure you know what is covered.

The industry norm for guarantees is 10 years on windows and doors and that usually covers the glass, frame and ironmongery.

Selecting the right glazing company

All companies listed and featured on MyGlazing.com are Members of the Glass and Glazing Federation and will ensure your windows and doors have insurance backed guarantees that are also transferrable should you decide to sell your home.

Companies registered with FENSA – the original and largest Competent Person Scheme in the replacement window sector in England and Wales – offer compulsory insurance backed guarantees as part of their service.

No matter which glazing company you use, MyGlazing.com recommends you use a firm that is registered with Installsure – the Glass and Glazing Federation’s insurance broker – who have an established reputation as a leading provider of warranty insurance products to the home improvements sector.

When looking through the array of great windows and doors in the market, it can be easy to put Insurance to the back of your mind, but when selecting your glazing, make sure you’ve got the job fully covered. Get guaranteed protection and peace of mind on your investment.

More: Why use a GGF company?

Member Complaints Service

GGF Member Complaint Service

If you are a domestic customer of a GGF Member and have been unable to resolve a complaint directly with the company, you may want to consider applying to our correspondence-based Conciliation Service.

This service offers a fair and impartial way to resolve disputes between customers and GGF Members. It is important to note that this service is only available to domestic customers of GGF Members, and not to commercial or trade customers. However, if you meet the eligibility criteria, our Conciliation Service can help you reach a satisfactory resolution to your complaint, without the need for costly and time-consuming legal action.

Benefits of GGF Conciliation

Absolutely free
Independent and impartial
Reduces the time, work and sometimes frustration you may have when dealing with a company or individual
Keeps you informed at every stage of your complaint until it is closed

Why should I consider GGF Conciliation?

The GGF operates with complete independence and impartiality. Our guiding principle is to serve as a neutral and unbiased administrator, aiding all parties involved in a dispute by directing negotiations towards a harmonious resolution.

In addition, we make every effort to ensure that all parties are kept informed throughout the process, thereby facilitating a mutually agreed solution to the existing dispute.

How to request GGF Conciliation

If you have raised your concerns with the GGF Member company in writing and it has not addressed the issues for you, please write to the GGF Conciliation Manager at conciliation@ggf.org.uk

Alternative dispute resolution

The GGF has an independent arbitration scheme run by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

The Glazing Arbitration Scheme (TGAS) is an independent ADR (alternative dispute resolution) scheme, which is the primary ADR scheme for the Glass & Glazing industry, plus other glazing related and home improvement products.

Non-glazing disputes

For non-glazing disputes, MyGlazing.com recommends contacting Citizens Advice. The Citizens Advice consumer service provides free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues, including information about your rights when buying goods and services.

Alternatively you can contact Citizens Advice directly via its contact page.

Please complete the complaints form below and send as an attachment to complaints@ggf.org.uk.

Homeowner-Complaints-Form Download

Installing modern windows while keeping a vintage look

| 13.04.17

The owners of this home needed council approval to replace its windows. Find out how GGF Member companies helped them get it and how they now enjoy the benefits of modern energy efficient glazing.

For homeowners that live in buildings of architectural importance replacing windows is a challenge – how to enjoy all the benefits of modern energy efficient glazing while respecting the aesthetic requirements of their properties.

That was the case with Mokoia House, which overlooks the 17th green at Royal Troon Golf Club in South Ayrshire. The owners of a flat inside the building wished to upgrade their windows though needed to seek council approval to do so.

As with so many councils, South Ayrshire does not favour PVC-U in buildings of architectural importance, but as the prestigious golf club had recently had Vintage Collection sash windows approved and installed, installer Scotia Double Glazing and manufacturer Masterframe sought a meeting to see if a third floor flat, part of the existing building in Crosbie Road, Troon, could also have PVCu sash windows fitted.

As each building is decided upon on its own merits, it was far from a forgone conclusion. The local planner noted that this property was “very distinctive and has been listed for its local importance”.

New sash windows to match existing windows

Happily for all concerned, Scotia Double Glazing demonstrated to the council the rigorous levels of quality and detailing that go into the Vintage Traditional window including authentic detailing such as mechanical butt jointed construction, astragal bars, exclusive cam catches, and internal ovolo beading.

The product, in a colour scheme to match the existing windows, along with Scotia’s sympathetic installation technique and internal finishing, would be enough to convince the Councillors to approve the installation.

Happy customers enjoy the benefits of new windows

The homeowners are delighted by both the standard of the installation provided by Scotia Double Glazing and the quality of the windows manufactured by Masterframe, which they found to be a vast improvement on the previous models, in terms of thermal performance, weatherproofing, security, noise reduction and most importantly appearance.

Need advice on replacing windows in your home? Find a local GGF Member company today.

More:
A guide to window styles
Advice on ventilation when replacing windows
Energy efficient glazing: A useful guide
When to repair or replace your windows

Energy efficient windows could keep your home warmer for longer

| 19.01.17

Modern, energy efficient glazing can make an important contribution to the warmth and comfort of your home – while also helping you save on heating costs.

Autumn is here and winter close behind it! That means the prospect of rain, hail, sleet, snow and ice – elements you’ll want to escape when you’re inside your home.

However keeping the heat in and the cold out can prove challenging and chances are your home requires a good deal more heating at this time of year.

That could mean a winter spike in the power bill, but did you know that upgrading to modern, energy efficient windows could save you hundreds of pounds each year in energy costs? That’s because they can help keep heat inside your home longer, meaning you can keep your home warm while using your heating system less.

Energy Savings Trust research indicates that up to 23 per cent of a home’s heat energy can be lost through inefficient windows. Installing energy efficient glazing can help save energy by reducing this heat loss.

To help you find out just how much you could potentially save, we developed the GGF Energy Savings Calculator.

How much could you potentially save?

When we relaunched the Energy Savings Calculator on MyGlazing.com last year, we hoped that homeowners around the country would take advantage of the opportunity to see what energy savings they could make by installing new windows with a higher energy rating.

What we couldn’t have predicted was just how popular this easy-to-use online calculator would become. More than 2,000 homeowners have used the Energy Savings Calculator since May 2016.

Based on their results, we’ve been able to extract a few key statistics:

the average UK household could save £215 a year by replacing current windows with energy efficient glazing
over a third (35%) of homeowners who used the Calculator still have single glazing
83% of those thinking about buying new windows would consider installing double glazed windows with an energy rating of A++, A+ or A-rated, or triple glazing, these being the window types with the highest energy performance on the market
on average, homeowners could expect to cut their CO2 emissions by 0.89 tonnes/year by upgrading their windows

Try it yourself: GGF Energy Savings Calculator

The benefits of energy efficient glazing

Energy efficient glazing helps keep heat inside the home and, in combination with other home energy efficiency measures (such as cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and an energy-efficient heating system), can lead to a reduction in your annual heating bills.

Assuming the rooms are heated and adequately ventilated, the risk of internal condensation is greatly reduced whilst the reduced energy requirement will help to lower heating bills and naturally save money.

Energy efficient glazing can also have the added benefit of lowering the level of external noise that can enter the property.

The GGF Energy Savings Calculator can provide an estimate of the potential savings you could enjoy when you install energy efficient glazing.

It is important to note that the Calculator assumes that the homeowner has taken all other reasonable measures to optimise the energy efficiency of the dwelling (such as those mentioned above: cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and an energy-efficient heating system).

How do I use the GGF Energy Savings Calculator?

To see how much you could save, simply select the options that best describe your current windows, dwelling type, heating fuel and proposed replacement windows to calculate the potential savings.

The results are based on the most current Government data, relaying a meaningful snapshot of the amount of money and energy that could be saved per household.

For example: The calculator shows that someone with a semi-detached house with timber, single glazed windows of a typical size, using an electric heat source to warm their home could save £459.20 a year if they were to replace them with A++ rated windows – the most energy efficient windows available today.

Try it yourself: GGF Energy Savings Calculator

Are you looking for advice on asbestos?

| 20.04.16

A new guide on asbestos from the GGF provides helpful advice about the correct way of dealing with it if found in your home

If poorly managed, asbestos removal can leave householders and those removing asbestos materials with serious health problems

For this reason the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) has launched Asbestos, a new consumer guide that helps homeowners understand the dangers of asbestos and the importance of ensuring it is removed professionally and safely.

Included in the guide are basic facts about asbestos, information about the risks and correct procedures of dealing with the material, and links for further reading.

If you suspect asbestos is present in your home and work is being carried out that could disturb it, the GGF recommends you seek advice from a competent assessor.

Though the GGF cannot be directly responsible for promoting or authorising the work of individual assessors, it does recommend that property owners discuss the matter with their window, door or conservatory installation company.

Find your local GGF Member company via MyGlazing.com.

Read now: Asbestos – Don’t play Russian roulette with Asbestos

Five ways to simplify window shopping

| 02.11.15

Shopping for windows? Don’t be daunted – here’s some smart advice to get you started

(Image: Sash windows by Masterframe)

There’s window shopping and then there’s window shopping. So how do you know what to look for when you actually need windows and you’re not just out for a leisurely retail stroll?

The GGF’s James Lee recently shared some advice on the subject over at Period Ideas. Check it out to discover the five things you should consider when shopping for new glazing for your home.

Read now: 5 Ways To Simplify Window Shopping

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Insuring your glazing – advice for windows & doors

The industry norm for guarantees is 10 years on windows and doors and that usually covers the glass, frame and ironmongery.

More: Why use a GGF company?

Member Complaints Service