How to get a replacement FENSA certificate for a house sale
A missing FENSA certificate is the single most common paperwork hold-up in a UK house sale. Homeowners, estate agents and even conveyancers often use "FENSA certificate" as shorthand for any double-glazing Building Regulations certificate — which is why searching FENSA alone often comes back empty even when the windows were properly certified.
1. Why your buyer's solicitor asks for a FENSA certificate
Since 1 April 2002, replacing windows, roof windows, roof lights or external glazed doors in a dwelling in England or Wales has been subject to Local Authority Building Control (Sections 4 and 7 of the Building Regulations 2010). Installers registered with a government-authorised Competent Person Scheme self-certify their own installations so you don't have to pay the council to inspect the windows.
On the Law Society's TA6 Property Information Form (6th edition):
- Question 5.1(a) asks whether any replacement windows, roof windows, roof lights or glazed doors have been installed in the property since 1 April 2002.
- Question 5.2(c) asks you to attach the Building Regulations compliance certificate (such as a FENSA or CERTASS certificate) or local authority completion certificate, or mark it as to follow or not available.
2. Why a FENSA-only lookup fails in roughly 1 in 3 sales
FENSA is the largest window scheme in England and Wales, so most sellers assume their window certificate must be held by FENSA. In practice, a FENSA-only check fails for three common reasons:
- The installer belonged to a different window scheme: Thousands of double-glazing companies register their installations with CERTASS, Assure, Blue Flame Certification, NAPIT or Certsure (NICEIC) instead of FENSA. All of these issue official Building Regulations compliance certificates that solicitors accept on the TA6 form, and none of them appear on the FENSA database.
- The council signed the windows off directly: If the glazing firm wasn't in a scheme — or the windows were fitted at the same time as an extension or loft conversion — the completion certificate sits in your local council's building control archive rather than FENSA.
- The work is outside the remit of FENSA: Several types of glazed work are never covered by FENSA at all (see the exclusions table below).
3. What FENSA covers vs. what is excluded from FENSA
Every official FENSA certificate prints the exact rules on its reverse side, showing which installations fall inside or outside the scheme and how windows and doors are counted:
| Work or feature | Covered by a FENSA certificate? | How it is recorded / where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement windows & external glazed doors (since 1 April 2002) | Yes (if the installer was FENSA-registered) | FENSA register (or CERTASS / Assure / Council if another body was used) |
| Bay windows & multi-unit windows | Yes | Counted as 1 window on the FENSA certificate |
| Door sidelights & toplights | Yes | Each sidelight or toplight is counted as a separate window |
| Patio sliding doors or French windows (pair) | Yes | A pair of sliding or French doors counts as 1 door |
| Rooflights / roof windows | Yes | Each rooflight counts as 1 window |
| Conservatories & porches | No — outside FENSA remit | Exempt if meeting thermal/glazing rules, or signed off by council building control |
| Extensions & new-build homes | No — outside FENSA remit | Covered by the main Building Control completion certificate (or NHBC/warranty on a new build) |
| Glass-only repairs (existing frame kept) | No — outside FENSA remit | Not notifiable under Building Regulations when the frame is not replaced |
| Commercial properties | No — outside FENSA remit | FENSA only covers dwellings |
4. Single-register lookup vs. a full My Certs window search
| What happens | Checking FENSA alone | My Certs (£79 all-in search) |
|---|---|---|
| Installer used FENSA | Finds the record, then charges a per-certificate copy fee | Finds the record in 1 working day and includes the official FENSA copy fee inside your £79 |
| Installer used CERTASS or council building control instead | Shows "no record found" — leaving you stuck | Automatically checks CERTASS and your council's online register in the same search at no extra cost |
| Multiple window/door installations on different dates | Each certificate copy is ordered and paid for separately | Includes the official fees for up to 2 replacement certificates |
| No record exists on any register | You still spend time chasing each scheme one by one | Full no record, no fee refund of your £79, plus clear guidance on regularisation vs. indemnity insurance |
Questions
What information is shown on a replacement FENSA certificate?
An official FENSA certificate states the certificate number, the dwelling address and postcode, the exact installation completion date, the number of windows and doors covered (for example, "7 window(s) / 1 door(s)"), the installer's company or trading name, and their FENSA registration number, certifying compliance with Sections 4 and 7 of the Building Regulations 2010.
Can I get a FENSA certificate if the window company has gone out of business?
Yes, provided the installer registered the job with FENSA (or CERTASS) when the windows were fitted. The central scheme register keeps the record against the property address even after the installer ceases trading. If the installer never registered the work before closing, no certificate exists on the database — in which case we refund your £79 under our no record, no fee promise and your solicitor can arrange Building Regulations indemnity insurance.
Why does my FENSA certificate list more windows than I counted?
Because FENSA counts each door sidelight and toplight as a separate window, while counting a bay window or multi-unit window as one window and a pair of French or patio sliding doors as one door. The definitions are printed on the back of the certificate so your buyer's surveyor or solicitor can match them up.
How fast can I get my replacement FENSA certificate?
When you order a FENSA search on My Certs, we email your written findings (confirming the certificate number, installation date, installer and window/door count) within 1 working day, and order the official replacement PDF the same day.
Want us to look for you?
Give us the address and we search every register and your council, then order the official copies. £79 including the register fees for up to 2 copies, and no record means no fee.
Related guides
Official guidance & references
- GOV.UK: Competent person schemes, current schemes and how they are authorised
- The Law Society: TA6 (6th edition) explanatory notes for sellers and buyers
- GOV.UK: Building regulations approval, how to apply (including regularisation)
My Certs is an independent service, not part of or endorsed by any scheme, council or regulator named here.