Double glazing guarantees

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

  1. Farnham_Red

    Farnham_Red Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Had my front windows replaced a couple of years ago - with a 10 year guarantee
    last week whilst we were away the inside pane of the kitchen window exploded - neighbour noticed and let us know so it wasnt a great shock when we came back to find shattered glass all over the kitchen. The window is a none opening one and behind the worktops so its hard to touch it. Clearly there was a manufacturing fault as it was an inside pane that shattered when there had been no one in the house for several days. Im told it was very hot last week so I suspect something expanded to stress the glass to breaking point.

    The company that sold us the windows said that glass is not covered by the guarantee under any circumstances and I need to pay for a replacement, only if the frame is clearly distorted does the guarantee apply.

    Even spoken to the owner of the company and they just wont move - best they will offer is to send someone out to check the frame (but charge for the visit) - as I cant see anything clearly wrong with the frame and the outside pane is still intact there is clearly no point as for sure they will find nothing wrong.

    Do I have any options other than to pay them and leave suitable feedback on check-a -trade. It just annoys me that I am having to pay for a fault that I am sure was a manufacturing one. ( apart from the fact it took me over one hour to clean up most of the glass when I got home - its toughened glass so shattered into thousands of small pieces
     
  2. Sco

    Scoff Well-Known Member

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    Claim on your household insurance?
     
  3. Farnham_Red

    Farnham_Red Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Thats what the double glazing company suggested. Just seems wrong to use that - also need to check if its worth it because I am sure we get a discount having made no claims for years. Id need to check the policy as I expect there is an excess as well and I cant remember what that is
     
  4. Sco

    Scoff Well-Known Member

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    Thats the double-whammy. You pay the excess, then pay extra for future policies.
     
  5. Donny Red

    Donny Red Well-Known Member

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    I enrolled with WHICH magazine Legal Services ( cost me about £12) when Expedia
    wouldn't meet a claim for a disrupted holiday in Ostend ( drunken English lads on a Stag night).
    A top Barrister phoned me up and instructed me what to do. I followed his advice and after initially
    refusing to entertain any claim, they paid me out. I think there must be something under the Sales
    of Goods Act 1972, that should give you recourse. Also I would think about complaining to the
    Window Industry Trade body FENSA. They should be able to advise you.


    https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/dou...lazing/your-rights-when-buying-double-glazing
     
  6. Farnham_Red

    Farnham_Red Administrator Staff Member Admin

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    Thanks for that I will think about that - may be worth £12 to check with someone competent - it could be that just over 2 years is considered too long to make any successful claim. ( I did use a Which template letter once on a cancelled flight and got the correct compensation paid back almost by return)
     
  7. North Yorks Red

    North Yorks Red Well-Known Member

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    I’d also try trading standards, surely this falls under under stuff like goods or being ‘ fit for purpose’
     
  8. Donny Red

    Donny Red Well-Known Member

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    Just another thought FR. Have a look on the spacer bar and see if you can spot the name of the
    Double Glazed Unit manufactures name. It should appear in ink jet form on the metal together with
    the dimensions of the pane. Contact them and ask who's glass they use, viz: Pilkington, St Gobain or
    any other. Once you have that information give them a ring or better still, write to them and complain
    about the material used. During the recent hot spell, our youngest son called to see me following my recent
    hip operation. His Mum had locked our gates, so he had to knock on the front window. He said it was absolutely
    red hot and moved when he touched it. When he got indoors, he checked the interior pane, which was rigid.
    Our windows were only fitted in March of this year, so I phoned the Contractor ( Dewsbury Glass). They told me,
    the profile is Veka ( German) and the DGU's are Pilkington Glass and the units are specifically designed to do
    exactly what they had done re- become pliable in high temperatures thus removing the risk of breaking, as a result of any expansion/ contraction. There must be something wrong to cause the interior pane to shatter. I would definitely have a stab at trying to " shame" the glass manufacturer into rectifying the situation, before I shelled out for a new hermetically sealed replacement unit. Good luck mate.
     
    Sestren likes this.
  9. scarf

    scarf Well-Known Member

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    Did you pay, or part pay, on a credit card? If so, when you've gone through the independent expert route, if that's got nowhere with the company, refer your claim to them. Easier than going through the small claims court. Worked for me against the might of Carfone Warehouse.
     
  10. lk3

    lk311 Well-Known Member

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    I would suspect somewhere in the small print it says glass is not covered from expansion etc and they would blame it on excessive heat on window causing the gas to expand.
    No harm in trying the manufacturer as suggested alternatively
    If you go to a local glazier (not window company) you could probably pick one up for around £100.
     
  11. Dragon Tyke

    Dragon Tyke Well-Known Member

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    contact the Ombudsman matey... I am sure they will be more than interested.
     
  12. Jul

    Julian Broddle's Perm Well-Known Member

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    If you can be bothered with the battle, trading standards, contacting the glass manufacturer directly, etc are all options.
    However, these are ridiculously easy to change yourself, and considerably cheaper to buy a replacement glass panel than you might think.
    I had similar happen 3-4 years since. Popped the old pane out so the intact outer pane and spacer bars could be used as a template, nipped it down to a local window firm (this was Stairfoot, but obviously not viable for you), took them 5 minutes to make, and the price was quoted as 'three bacon sarnies', so a tenner.
    It genuinely is scary how easy it is to pop the plastic glass beads out though. My old house had external beads and remember someone showing me how easy it would be to break into a house using a teaspoon!!
     
    Bleedng Red likes this.
  13. Ome

    Omen Well-Known Member

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    id go one last try and say it their choice - either just come and replace the glass and inspect the frame to check it wont happen again, or you get an independant company in and if they find its the frame at fault you will come after them for damages and publicise their shoddy customer service.

    If they dont budge just chalk fek on it and sort it yaself - might cost 40-50 sheets maybe a bit more depending on size but not worth the hassle.
     
  14. Slo

    Slowercafu New Member

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    I work for a window firm and the glass has a different guarantee to the windows, as do the mechanisms that make the windows work. The window company will count a guarantee on the windows as the profile they’re made from and the operation of it.

    A new glass unit probably won’t cost a fortune but depending on size could be anything from £50 to £150
     
  15. nezbfc

    nezbfc Well-Known Member

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    It's open to argument.

    Anything sold is covered by the sale and goods act.

    Basically everything sold should last a reasonable length of time.

    The argument is whether or not 2 years is reasonable. Warranties just make it easier to deal with.

    And he bought it off the company not the manufacturer. So his contract is with that company. Being referred to a manufacturer by anyone is just passing the buck
     
  16. gladius111

    gladius111 Active Member

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    I`ve had this problem the bathroom window fogged up, I contacted the window installer he told me that the glass wasn`t covered by the 10 year guarantee but only the frames
    it cost me £70 to replace the window
     
  17. tob

    tobes Active Member

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    Just a note that Fensa aren't a trade body and would only respond if the installers originally used were a member of their CPS
     
  18. Dub-Tyke

    Dub-Tyke Well-Known Member

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    I think this has gone a bit OTT.

    Glazing units are cheap to replace anyway. I’ve had one go recently, and as a gesture of goodwill, they fitted it free of charge. Windows were 13 month old. I would have paid if not anyway.

    I accept the break as I understand the issues DGU have under extreme heat, and know this isn’t covered under a guarantee. So what they did for me was good customer service. Mind you, is was a smaller unit.

    Claiming off your Home insurance is daft, as the windows are not that dear - and unless you have accidental damage cover, they won’t be covered anyway.

    Why do people think you should try and shame companies into doing things when you’re not entitled to it, and the guarantee states that?
     
  19. Donny Red

    Donny Red Well-Known Member

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    FR was asking for advice on the grounds that he was annoyed at having to shell out for what he perceives
    to probably be a manufacturing flaw in the assembly of the DGU. The profit margins in the PVCu Window industry
    are quite healthy. Cost of extruding an average sized window is around £12 and the glass units are pretty cheap
    to make as well, so I can understand why Farnham Red is a bit miffed in paying out for something that has broken
    down in a relatively short space of time.
     
  20. Dub-Tyke

    Dub-Tyke Well-Known Member

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    It’s annoying I agree - been through it myself. But if the warranty stipulates it’s not covered, then that’s that.

    My point is why try to name and shame a company for simply sticking to T&Cs? Yes they could offer a goodwill gesture - such as fit for free etc, but 24 months has passed since they were fitted.

    I’m not having a dig - just saying. And insurance claim is pointless. Far cheaper and easier to pay for new DGU - like you say, cheap enough. Also claim might only be covered if accidental cover was paid.
     

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