Don't get steamed up over new windows!

The message has been issued to residents in the borough following reports that some installers are ignoring new energy regulations, and not joining the self-certification FENSA scheme, or making a normal building regulations application to the local council.

Bury Council's planning control committee chairman, Councillor Tony Cummings, explained: "This is potentially very bad news for homeowners. Because of recent changes to the legal and technical checks which are done every time a home changes ownership, illegal installations will be discovered at the worst possible time, when it can hold up the chain.

"At best, the result will be a delayed sale. At worst, it could mean the sale is lost completely because the buyers lose confidence in the integrity of the vendors. "

In April this year, new Building Regulations came into force calling for improved standards of energy efficiency when windows or doors are replaced.

The regulations apply when the frames are changed but not when just the glass is replaced. FENSA is the scheme which enables Registered Installers of domestic replacement glazing to self-certify that their work complies with the revised energy saving regulations, rather than making an application to the local council in the normal way.

More than 5,000 companies have now registered with FENSA and are able to self-certify installations. Sites are randomly picked for quality control inspection to ensure that installers cannot predict which jobs will be checked. Any companies that fall short of the required standards can be suspended, or even excluded from the scheme.

Councillor Cummings added: "Councils are doing what they can to make householders aware of the new regulations because owners need to know that they will be breaking the law if they do not comply."

More information is available from the council's Building Control office.

Further details can also be found on the FENSA web site at www.fensa.org.uk.