Could FENSA’s role within the industry be about to change? News announced on Monday from the GGF might shed some light on that. They have created RISA – Rushworth Inspection Services & Auditing, a brand new inspections company.
The press release
RISA (Rushworth Inspection Services & Auditing) Ltd is the name of a brand new inspections subsidiary company set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF Group). RISA Ltd will initially undertake inspections and auditing work within the replacement glazing sector and it will be taking over all FENSA’s inspections from February 2016.
Nigel Rees, GGF Group Chief Executive, a RISA Ltd Director commented: “This substantial investment by the GGF Group in this new business presents an extremely exciting opportunity. There will be benefits to window and door installers because of better control of inspections costs in the coming years which should keep future price increases at a minimum. Installers will see no change in the FENSA inspections and processes and most will have the same inspector as currently.”
“We expect RISA Ltd will quickly become a major contributor to the whole GGF Group,” adds Rees.
RISA Ltd will be based in the GGF Group building in London SE1.
Taking over inspections
From how it’s written, it looks like RISA will be given a gradual introduction, for it to be then ramped up from February of next year. The release also says that installers will notice no change in their existing inspections set up. So, judging from the text, RISA will replace FENSA. But what about the wider implications?
If inspections are now going to be carried out by this new company called RISA, what about FENSA as an entity. Will installers be required to swap over to become a RISA registered company? Will all of FENSA’s responsibilities be turned over to RISA in the end? The release says that RISA is expected to become a major contributor to the GGF Group. It also says that price increases are expected to be kept to a minimum for installers too.
It does sound like RISA is an organisation that is set to replace FENSA. Sort of like a FENSA 2.0 in all but name. If I’ve got this wrong, I invite the GGF to set me right. But, judging from what has been said in the press release, it does sound like RISA will replace FENSA fully in time.
It may not be a bad thing. It’s worth remembering that FENSA was set up in 2002. The industry is a very different place to that of 13 years ago. The products have changed massively. So has the law and regulations. Whilst the industry has changed a lot, I feel FENSA has not. Perhaps RISA could be the organisation fit for a fenestration industry in the modern age. Time will tell on this one.
What a total waste of time and money, and you know whose money will pay for this ultimately. The last thing the public need is another meaningless brand name on top of the confusion that surrounds FENSA certification when they sell their houses. They need to spend every resource on improving the current system, which still is badly misunderstood by the public. It’s taken this long to achieve the current status of befuddlement.
A backwards step from the Consignia of the glazing industry. On the plus side, at least they’ll have new trade mag stories from the logo-police!
I think (know) that you have got the wrong end of the stick on your conclusions… FENSA is not going anywhere. FENSA RISA will be working for FENSA next year to carry out the site assessments etc.
FENSA will send you a full ‘clarification’ shortly.
Sorry for any confusion
Mark Warren
FENSA Chairman
From reading the release I would say RISA will just be providing the assessment service to FENSA. The public face of the scheme will remain the same but the assessors will be employed (or not) differently.
This just looks like retaining money within the GGF group. As FENSA must be non profit. With such a large turnover having suppliers/ limited companies around it with cross over of Directors is beneficial for these Directors.
I would like to be proved wrong !.
Also spare a minute for the employees of BBA, have they still got a job ?
Why are FENSA ditching BBA? No doubt to make more money “in house”. To disguise, if we are truthful, the “non-profit” status Gary has referred to. Impartiality? I don’t think so!
Surely the GGF owes it to its members to be clear on what its plans are; the press release was vague. I assumed, as I am sure others did, that what this really meant was that RISA would take over the role of the BBA. If this is the plan, I don’t agree with it. To maintain its credibility, i believe an independent body should be checking our work and FENSA’s. If we are correct, which I am pretty sure we are, how can this be allowed? In my opinion, this would be like auditing yourself to PAS24 and then… Read more »
I think Ian has it nailed , accountability does not seem to be a strong point in Ayres St.
I think FENSA as a concept and as a self certification scheme is great, I think generally they are very good for the industry, but the GGF group carry a lot of self interest with their members, and while administering a scheme is one thing , complete control over it without accountability is another thing entirely.
Your right Kevin, accountability is definitely not a strong point at the GGF and it now has a monopoly on all areas of conformance within the industry. I feel strongly that they should be split up. Here are a couple of examples about why I think the organisations should be split; When I enquired about cancelling my membership of the GGF last year, I was told that I could, but that the price of my GGFi insurance backed guarantees would go up. Yes I suppose I could have shopped around, but this would have been inconvenient and would add time… Read more »