Double glazing guarantees

Discussion in 'Bulletin Board' started by Farnham_Red, Jul 17, 2018.

  1. scarf

    scarf Well-Known Member

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    What a warranty stipulates is nothing to do with your statutory rights, or what you should be entitled to expect when you purchase a product. Two years is no time at all for a window to last in my opinion. However it's the opinion of an independent double glazing expert that counts. If your supplier is bluffing, the independent opinion is the route to go. If the supplier still tries to fob you off it's either the small claims court route or your credit card.
    Ten quid or a hundred, it's brass. It would be a matter of principle with me, and should be with any Yorkshireman.
    In any case, if it's not a manufacturing fault, why haven't all his windows fallen out (like the bloke who couldn't tell **** from putty)
     
    Last edited: Jul 18, 2018
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  2. DON

    DONKEYDOO Active Member

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    quote the sale of goods act 1974 it says all goods should be fit for purpose in law a guarantee doesn't meen jack **** eg If you buy a freezer you would expect reasonably that it would last well past the guarantee of 12 months .the company will argue the guarantee **** but there are lots of cases that have been sorted because of this ....threaten to put in the name and shame chronicle section after all how much is a pain of glass against adverse publicity,,,,,would you buy from a company that you had read about
     
  3. Sup

    SuperTyke Well-Known Member

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    What a warranty stipulates means nothing other than what they are OFFERING you. It doesn't mean what they HAVE to provide.

    An item must be fit to last what the average person would consider a reasonable period and companies must provide a level of cover for that period.

    For example if you buy a pair of £20 walking boots you wouldn't expect them to last too long but if you paid £400 for the top of the range you would expect that so if the guarantee says 12 months but they fell to pieces after 13 months you would still be covered as a reasonable person would expect them to last longer than that. However they can make reasonable deductions for fair use and a loss in their value from that use. You may get half of your money back for the boots but not your full money. Thus may be decided in small claims if needed.

    A window should last more than a few years IMO so the next part is interesting.whuch us that European directives actually say products must come with a TWO year guarantee and not the one year guarantee that we use in the UK. It is always worth remembering that as quoting the relevant EU law will scare many companies into paying up even though its a bit of a grey area as to whether they need to.

    However here's where there's a problem, within the first 6 months the onus is in the manufacturer to prove that it isn't a manufacturing fault, after 6 months it is the owners responsibility to prove that the window was faulty when it was manufactured which is hard to do.

    There is then the extra complication that it may not be a faulty window but was fitted incorrectly (too much play, too tightly wedged in or even that the frame was fitted slightly off square putting stress on the glass. If so the fitter would clearly be at fault.

    The problem is proving anything and the best way to do that is to ask an independent expert to come out and look at the window in situ where they can assess the fitting etc. Other than that it would be very hard to prove what the reason is when it isn't there as evidence
     
  4. lk3

    lk311 Well-Known Member

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    Family member refused to pay for there windows after the bay window had a 1" - 3" gap round the side which blew a gale. Window company inspected said within tolerance, they fetched independent in and they condemned the window and said new one should be fitted, They went back to Window Company armed with report who refused still. By this time they were dealing with the Commercial Director and ended up saying see you in court, Window company turned round and said Good Luck you'll never get there and proceeded to tell them how they were owned by 2nd largest Bank is US and would just tie them up in knots. Undeterred the pressed on and 2 years and £4k later they gave up cos couldn't afford the Solicitors fees.
     
  5. Dub-Tyke

    Dub-Tyke Well-Known Member

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    2 years later, one internal pane goes.

    I just can’t see the point going through all this. It’s unlucky, but it’ll only cost £60 ish.

    They do go sometimes, for a variety of reasons - within 12 month, and I think you’d be right to expect a replacement foc. But at 24 months - no.

    That’s just my opinion based on experience and knowledge.
     
  6. Farnham_Red

    Farnham_Red Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Actually its quite a large pane and company has quoted £155 to replace it.
    My complaint is that I would expect a window to last longer than that. In fact I have never had a double glazed window break in my life before (I did when a nipper break a window but that is different as the old single pane ones were never designed to withstand blows from heavy wooden objects).
    You are right its too much hassle to do more that just pay for it but I am annoyed - especially as its a company we used to replace windows and build an orangery so spent a lot of money with them in the last 2.5 years. Its going to be hard to prove a manufacturing fault when the glass shattered into thousands of small pieces, and the fact the external pane is still there makes it hard to prove an incorrect fitting
     
  7. Dub-Tyke

    Dub-Tyke Well-Known Member

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    I agree if you have had a lot of work done, plus an orangery done by them, the very least you would expect is perhaps free fitting and maybe the glass at cost price. They should still have your measures, so they wouldn’t need to even revisit, and would only take 30mins max inc. cleaning up. But it depends how big a company they are. Smaller companies would probably do it.

    But that would be classed as a good will gesture. It is difficult with glass. Too many folk spoil it for others, trying it on etc.
     

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