How to buy double glazing Your rights when buying double glazing

Double glazing - your rights

There are laws in place to protect you from cowboy double glazing installers.

Under the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, any double glazing installation should:

• be done using ‘reasonable care and skill’
• the windows should be made with materials that are ‘of satisfactory quality’ and ‘fit for their purpose’
• be ‘as described’ – eg what you ordered.

If the double glazing installer doesn’t meet any of the conditions above they've breached their contract and you have the right to have the windows repaired or replaced. The double glazing company can decide which of these it is prepared to do, based on what's cheaper. For more information see our guide about how to complain to companies.

The double glazing company has to make sure that any repair or replacement is carried out ‘within a reasonable time but without causing significant inconvenience’.

How to resolve problems with a double glazing company

1 - Act quickly: As soon as you know there is a problem, contact the double glazing installer. If you phone, follow up the conversation with a letter. Confirm the problem and state what the double glazing installer agreed it would do and by when. See our sample letters below.

2 - Agree a final date: If the double glazing installer doesn't sort out the problems when it said it would, contact it again. Agree a final date by which the work must be completed.

3 - Final ultimatum: If the final deadline passes or the double glazing installer has done nothing to fix the problem give them a final ultimatum. If they don’t fix the problem within a short deadline, you will get someone else to do it and claim back the cost from the installer – by taking it to court if necessary.

4 - Evidence of problems: If the double glazing installer still does not respond or refuses to do the work, get quotes for fixing the problem from other glazing installers. But before they start work, make sure you have a report of the problems, including photographs where necessary. You will need this as evidence if you need to claim against the original double glazers in court.

5 - Court action: When the new double glazing installer has completed the work, write to the original double glazers claiming the money you have had to spend, and explaining exactly what work was done. If it does not pay up, you will have to start court proceedings to claim the money back. If the amount involved is less than the small claims limit (£5,000 in England and Wales, £3,000 in Scotland, or £2,000 in Northern Ireland), you will be able to use the small claims court. For more information see our guide to the small claims court.

Credit cards

Under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, a credit company is equally liable with the double glazing company for any breaches of contract. You don't have to pay for all of the work by credit card – you could just use it to put down a deposit, for example. The Act also applies if the double glazing company arranges a finance agreement for you to pay for the work but not if you simply take out a bank loan yourself.

You are covered for misrepresentation – for example, if the double glazing company makes promises about its product or service that turn out to be untrue. You're also covered if the double glazing trader goes out of business before finishing the job, because you can claim the cost of finishing it from the credit card provider. The contract must be for more than £100 but less than £30,000. For more information see our guide to understanding the consumer credit act.