I’ve found a newspaper cutting (24/07/2002) from the Daily Mail I’ve kept from last year.
(Breezer's: I've managed to re-type it 4 words per minute!!!)
Anyone who has replaced a window,install a central heating boiler or had a conservatory build since April 2002 could be breaking the law.
New rules mean all these jobs now require building regulations approval from your local council.
If you don’t get it,you could be fined up to £5000,plus the cost of removing or altering the ‘improvements’ to comply.Even if you avoid problems now,when you come to sell your home the buyer’s solicitor could create trouble
The new rules, which can add hundreds of pounds to basic home improvements, are known as Part L building regulations and are to cut emissions and help meet environmental targets set at the Kyoto Summit
All new windows, predominantly glass doors and roof lights, will have to comply with more rigorous standards. Replacing panes and parts of rotten frames is excluded.
The standards also apply to new central heating boilers and hot water tanks. Historic buildings and those in conservation areas are exempt, but it is worth checking with your council before proceeding with changes.
Many conservatories will have to comply with rigorous new standards covering how much heat there allowed to leak.
Complying with the new regulations will cost house builders an extra £600 - £1400 per new home.
The one million people who change the windows each year will pay at least £120 more, according to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which brought in the regulations. This reflects the production costs of the new windows, and will depend on who carries out and authorises the work.
Home owners have two routes: either used an approved firm, or, if you carry out the work yourself, get building regulations approval from the local council. The cost of building regulation approval varies. For example, Epping Forest District Council in Essex charges £60, while Nottingham City Council charges £50.
Anglian Windows says the new rules have added more than a third to the cost of the glass in new windows, though it has capped the increase it passes onto customers at 5%.
To ensure you install windows that comply with the new rules, use a firm which is a member of the Fensa (Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme), a new part of the Glass and Glazing Federation. For heating, use a member of Oftec (oil-fired), HETAS (solid fuel) or Corgi (gas).
Glazing firms and heating engineers who belong to any of these organisations will also provide you with a certificate showing that the work complies with the regulations.
While it may be tempting to cut costs by not gaining building approval, when the house is sold your buyer’s solicitors will ask to see a certificate of compliance. Not having one may scupper the sale.
Chris Leslie, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, says: “This new package of measures is about saving the householder money on energy bills while also providing environmental benefits.
‘Most reputable installers have got behind this excellent new scheme, so householders can be confident that they are getting a first class job.’
‘While consumers are enjoying improved comfort, the UK can meet almost 10% of its Kyoto commitment, making this simple upgrade an excellent investment.’
(Breezer's: I've managed to re-type it 4 words per minute!!!)
Anyone who has replaced a window,install a central heating boiler or had a conservatory build since April 2002 could be breaking the law.
New rules mean all these jobs now require building regulations approval from your local council.
If you don’t get it,you could be fined up to £5000,plus the cost of removing or altering the ‘improvements’ to comply.Even if you avoid problems now,when you come to sell your home the buyer’s solicitor could create trouble
The new rules, which can add hundreds of pounds to basic home improvements, are known as Part L building regulations and are to cut emissions and help meet environmental targets set at the Kyoto Summit
All new windows, predominantly glass doors and roof lights, will have to comply with more rigorous standards. Replacing panes and parts of rotten frames is excluded.
The standards also apply to new central heating boilers and hot water tanks. Historic buildings and those in conservation areas are exempt, but it is worth checking with your council before proceeding with changes.
Many conservatories will have to comply with rigorous new standards covering how much heat there allowed to leak.
Complying with the new regulations will cost house builders an extra £600 - £1400 per new home.
The one million people who change the windows each year will pay at least £120 more, according to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which brought in the regulations. This reflects the production costs of the new windows, and will depend on who carries out and authorises the work.
Home owners have two routes: either used an approved firm, or, if you carry out the work yourself, get building regulations approval from the local council. The cost of building regulation approval varies. For example, Epping Forest District Council in Essex charges £60, while Nottingham City Council charges £50.
Anglian Windows says the new rules have added more than a third to the cost of the glass in new windows, though it has capped the increase it passes onto customers at 5%.
To ensure you install windows that comply with the new rules, use a firm which is a member of the Fensa (Fenestration Self-Assessment Scheme), a new part of the Glass and Glazing Federation. For heating, use a member of Oftec (oil-fired), HETAS (solid fuel) or Corgi (gas).
Glazing firms and heating engineers who belong to any of these organisations will also provide you with a certificate showing that the work complies with the regulations.
While it may be tempting to cut costs by not gaining building approval, when the house is sold your buyer’s solicitors will ask to see a certificate of compliance. Not having one may scupper the sale.
Chris Leslie, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, says: “This new package of measures is about saving the householder money on energy bills while also providing environmental benefits.
‘Most reputable installers have got behind this excellent new scheme, so householders can be confident that they are getting a first class job.’
‘While consumers are enjoying improved comfort, the UK can meet almost 10% of its Kyoto commitment, making this simple upgrade an excellent investment.’
