Faulty windows and doors: how many times should you let the installer try to fix them?
Your new front door still lets in a draught. A window catches every time you close it. The installer has been back, made a few adjustments and told you it should now be fine—but the problem hasn’t gone away.
Do you let them try again? Ask for a replacement? Or get someone independent to take a look?
At RISA, we hear these questions regularly. Most homeowners want the same thing: windows and doors that work properly, without an endless round of appointments and adjustments. A good installer will want to put things right too.
Understanding your basic rights can help you decide what to do next.
You should receive what you paid for
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives consumers important protection when buying windows and doors. Broadly, the products should be of satisfactory quality, match what was described and be suitable for their intended use. Installation work should be carried out with reasonable care and skill.
If there is a fault, a repair or replacement will often be a sensible solution. Where the business is responsible, the work should be carried out at its expense, within a reasonable time and without causing you significant inconvenience.
What is reasonable depends on the problem. Waiting for a decorative trim is quite different from being left with a front door that will not lock.
Is the installer only allowed one attempt?
You may have heard that a business gets “one chance” to repair a faulty product. There is a basis for this: where the goods rules apply, if the product still does not meet the contract after one completed repair or replacement, you may be entitled to move on to a price reduction or reject the affected goods for a refund.
However, that does not necessarily mean one visit. Someone may first need to investigate, order a part and return to fit it. That can be one repair carried out over more than one appointment. It still needs to be completed within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience.
You can also choose to agree to another repair if you believe the proposal is sensible. The important thing is to understand what will be done and why it should work.
What if the problem is the fitting?
A good product can perform poorly if it has been fitted incorrectly. A door frame installed out of alignment, for example, can cause both draughts and difficult locking.
Where the same business supplied and fitted your windows or doors under one contract, incorrect installation can fall within the goods protections. If you bought the products separately and employed someone else to fit them, different rules may apply to the installation work.
Those service rules do not set the same “one repair” limit. They do, however, require the work to be put right within a reasonable time and without significant inconvenience. Depending on the circumstances, a price reduction may become appropriate.
This is why simply counting visits will not always answer the question.
When does another visit make sense?
It is worth asking the installer three straightforward questions:
What is causing the problem?
What exactly are you proposing to do?
How will we check that it has been resolved?
A clear explanation and a practical repair plan can make a further visit worthwhile. Repeated adjustments that leave the same problem—or introduce a different one—may suggest that the underlying cause needs closer investigation.
For example, tightening a door to reduce draughts may make it much harder to close. Loosening it again may improve operation but bring the draught back. The next step should be to understand why it cannot achieve both effective sealing and satisfactory operation.
Be fair, but keep a record
Giving the business a fair opportunity to investigate and propose a suitable solution will often help resolve matters. But fairness also means recognising the inconvenience of unsuccessful repairs, missed appointments and continuing faults.
Keep emails, photographs and a simple record of each visit: what was reported, what was done and whether the installer said the repair was complete.
If you are considering refusing further access or employing another company and claiming the cost, seek advice first. Unreasonably preventing the original contractor from putting things right can affect a claim for those costs. Equally, that does not mean you must accept unlimited unsuccessful attempts.
The appropriate remedy depends on your contract and circumstances. Some faulty goods can be rejected early without accepting a repair first; a refund for one affected item does not automatically mean a refund for the whole installation.
Still having problems? An independent inspection can help
When the same issue keeps coming back, a fresh assessment can help everyone understand what needs to happen next.
RISA’s independent inspections look at the condition, manufacture and installation of your windows and doors. We investigate the reported problems, record the evidence and explain what remedial work is appropriate—including whether adjustment, repair or replacement is needed.
Our aim is to give you clear answers and practical recommendations, so you can discuss the next steps with your installer or supplier with greater confidence.
If your windows or doors still aren’t right, contact RISA to discuss an independent inspection.
This article gives general information about consumer rights. RISA provides technical inspection findings; advice on your individual legal rights should come from a consumer adviser or solicitor.