When the Building Regulations changes came into force in October 2010, it was the industry’s understanding that if an installer was using a supplier which had a fully glazed window tested by an official inspector and was registered with the BFRC, then that installer could use their certificate to show compliance. As you remember, the WER Accredited Installer scheme was slow to take off and wasn’t adopted by the majority of the industry, hence the alternative method of compliance of using your own manufacturers BFRC certificate – for free.
However, I have been made aware by someone, and that someone is a reliable source, that you are now saying that to be able to use a BFRC certificate, that installer now has to actually be a member and cannot use their manufacturers certificate. On top of that, I have been informed that in your communications with this person, you explained that the original understanding of using your own manufacturers certificate to show compliance has never been that.
I can pretty much guarantee you that every single installer that doesn’t manufacture their own windows and buys their windows in, fully glazed, will be using their suppliers certificate as a method of compliance, and probably on their literature and website. Because this was the understanding of the regulations at the time. So, by your explanation to this source of mine, this is going to put thousands and thousands of installers on the wrong side of the regulations, because you’ve moved the goal posts. What’s worse, is that in your discussions with my source, you want £140+VAT per year. How do you think that is going to come across to the rest of the industry?
I can’t help but feel that you’ve spotted a chance to make yet more money out of an industry which isn’t exactly flush at the minute. And you’ve made a grey area even greyer! Clearly the industry wants to make sure it does their jobs correctly, so if you could please clarify to all installers and suppliers how to correctly go about showing the correct method of compliance that would be greatly appreciated!
All my customers use my certificate(s) and we explained this to the BBA and they were happy.
Are you an authorized retailer?
no, a fabricator
Sorry I think you are wrong all installers should have paid for WERs but no one is policing non compliant companies. Or they should default to U value compliance. FENSA do not even check if units comply to EN1279 part 2 or 3. on inspections. I have paid over £10k in last 3 years with no protection from Trading Standards, FENSA, BFRC or NFG. No one responds to e-mails, faxes etc. EN1279 was some way ahead of WERs and companies around us to not comply to that, again Trading Standards will NOT police. This can be expanded on at great… Read more »
It seems to me that the BFRC just want to make money – whereas the BSI Kitemark scheme is far easier for fabricators and also for their customers to use. Also the Kitemark is a far more well known quality symbol
i agree whole heartedley with Garry Monk, i have paid similar figures and use it on lt to prove that im accredited to my customers and that if they claim u value compliance that the units are what the labels say they are, (i hear a lot of rumours of firms using hard coats instaed of softcoats and labelling them up as softcoats as fitters cant tell difference but this is from the dodgy firms without bs-en 1279) the whole bfrc thing is wrong and is set up as a money making scam, it benefits big companies and screws the… Read more »
Why is it taking the BFRC so long to reply? After recieving the letter off them , i called . Thinking it would be a mistake by them and get told to forget about it. They told me in no uncertian terms that i was in the wrong. Using my suppliers certificate,on my web site. I got told i had to either take it down or pay £140+ vat for my own Certifiacte. So why after 2 days of knowing about this Blog post. Why has GB not had a reply, to clarify this grey area? Me and hundreds of… Read more »