Insurance Backed Guarantees

The system set up by FENSA and its Approved Insurance Providers means

• automatic notification of installations from FENSA to the insurance company
• automatic issuing of the IBG policies direct from the insurance company to the homeowner
• billing direct from the insurance company to the installer

However, there is a stubborn minority of installers that have yet to provide FENSA with details of their chosen IBG provider and therefore cannot self-certify.

Consequences for installers

If an installer does not issue (or pay for) an IBG policy for each job notified then that company will be expelled from FENSA.  They will also be unable to register with another glazing Competent Persons Scheme (CPS), as they are in breach of FENSA rules.

FENSA compliance rules say: 

“Installers to provide each customer (other than a Local Authority or Housing Association) with an Insurance Backed Guarantee policy (conforming to requirements laid down from time to time by FENSA), to provide cover to the customer should the Registered Business, for whatever reason, cease to trade.”

Chris Mayne, FENSA Managing Director:  

“There is no hiding place for installers ducking out of IBGs because the system is computerised we can immediately see which installers do not have an IBG supplier in place.  They will be expelled from FENSA.

We have a duty to those FENSA registered businesses that are playing by the rules.  We cannot allow those installers that break or ignore the scheme rules to carry on as usual.  We will initiate the process to expel these installers.”

FENSA stands for the Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme. Following Government encouragement, FENSA has been set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) and other industry bodies in response to Building Regulations for double glazing companies in England and Wales.

FENSA is the industry standard for replacement window and door installers self-certifying compliance with the building regulations.

An independent report commissioned by the Government found FENSA to be the most successful of all competent person schemes to date in the UK, across all industries.