New home

The fitters came and fix the new doors on Tuesday, it seems almost ok. Two questions: 1st: there are "breaks"/space/cracks in between the white thing ( I will call it tape) around the glass in the corners, in a couple of places (as per the photo number 1), this is only on the inside (= so inside the house). The outside corners have been sealed. Are those "breaks" ok on the inside part of the window, or should they be sealed as well or can they be left like this? The 2nd: only today I have notices a scratch on the glass, it is very small - about 2.5cm, this is double glazed window so it is on the outer glass, but somehow inside, so you can not feel it, you can only see it. Is it ok?

Than you for your input. I've complained but the flat I live in is the only one with such a big problem. There are other flats with still some issues but they are way smaller... let's see what the future will bring..

Oh, they=HA know as they were here also during last installation and saw what happened... At the same time I think they just want to sign it off (on the day when the new doors are installed), as this project has been going on for a while. I told them I would prefer to sign it off straight away once the new doors are installed, but wait 24 or 48 hours to make sure everything (the glue, the seals etc) settles in correctly but I do not think they would agree. Again nor sure how dump, cold weather might affect the installation, plus the brown spots already visible inside the frame (as I see it the windows were not sealed properly?) - I did point them out but they did not do anything different, extra, just put the glass and the same sealing tape/thin panels (the ones you put in the edges of the window) back (well they were all mixed up some from the right window, some from left - supposively they have the same dimensions...)

You mean to get the advice on the whole situation from them? The people who are installing those windows are the employees of "a big window company" - supposively they know what they are doing.....

Unfortunately, this story is still going on… the fitters received the new doors (to replace the other “new” doors which had so many faults and were installed several weeks earlier), we set up a date and they came to fit them. On the day they removed the old ones. While doing so they damaged the side panels (only one photo is attached but the other side panel is damaged in the similar was as well). Next, they took the old doors away. After some time, they came back with the info that the new doors they had in the car were damaged and could not use it– as they said there was some plastic wrap and as they removed it now, it appeared the new doors were not good to be fitted. They brought the old ones back and installed them again on the damaged panels. They said they would order the new doors. I can not understand… The previous windows, doors were also damaged, at that time they also said “this is how we got it”… How come they did not check those ones properly at once when they received them? Plus when they removed the glass from side windows, in one frame, at the bottom, there were brown stains in the corners– photo attached – as if the rain water was coming through (it was not raining properly yet otherwise I think the stains might have been bigger?). I asked them if it means that the seal was not working properly? Still have not receive any answer… I do not know how long they will have to wait for the new windows (originally, 2 months back, they said 2 weeks and it stretched to over 2 months, now we have to wait agian). Anyway I told them if they have them within next couple of weeks that is ok, later, when it gets cold I will not let them in as having all windows removed for a couple of hours will freeze the house and I do not want to bear extra electricity cost for this, it has already caused me so much stress, plus not sure how dump, colder weather might affect the installation, seals drying up etc?

About the delay - in fact now I recall the new doors were made, however I was told they were delivered to the wrong depo, and the company which installs the windows was never able to track them down so they ordered another set of doors and now were are waiting and waiting... plus the installers had other problems with the supply chain... Again as someone said on this forum there are delays in the industry, but really hard to believe that something like this is happening with all customers across the industry... Anyway, enough of ranting, hope today will bring some good news.

Thank you all. The whole thing is just unbelievable plus the replacement windows to be refitted (as there original ones they had installed had too many snagging issues so they decided to replace them after all) have not arrived yet... At first they said the replacement windows would be ready within 2 weeks, next it was 2 weeks or so, and it's already 2 months and they are still not here... I know someone mentioned there are delays in the industry but this is a bit too much I think. So stressful and frustrating...

In terms of oiling/lubrication - someone has provided me this link so I assume this lubrication is standard for some? https://www.safestyle-windows.co.uk/ask-an-expert/window-and-door-maintenance/how-to-oil-your-windows-moving-parts/

The man came today to adjust the windows plus he sprayed them again with the silicone spray (he sprayed them also about 1.5 months ago but they got stiffed again). So when the windows are open 2 handles works ok now, the 3rd makes a noise (a bit weird for me, the window fitter said it is normal....I really do not think so). He also said the windows might need oiling/spraying once or perhaps even twice a year, according to his company it is a standard windows maintenance - I have never heard about something like this nor have to oil/spray windows in the other places where I have lived. Is oiling/spraying the windows with the silicone spray, once or twice a year, really normal?

No works at all, just the scaffolding waiting for the "window people" to come back and replace things. Again the lock were already getting stiffed the day they installed them or the day after. Next they sprayed them and now they are getting stiffed again.

Hello again, the company which was due to address all the “snugging issues” (as they call them) in 2 weeks or so, has not done anything yet. Once emailed they do not response, just got the info from the Housing Association that “...the company told them that the units have not been arriving in time recently…” - the units meaning all the faulty windows to be replaced. It has been 1.5 months and we are still in limbo. Not sure what kind of relationship the company which installed the windows has with the company that produces all the windows, but they should know that some corrections/replacement might be needed so this should be a priority – I expect. I honestly do not know what might be causing such a delay. I think this is not a good customer service from the company which installed the windows, leaving us without any updates, so we have to chase them, ignoring the emails…Anyway, enough of my rant but this is stressful and I am not sure what job they will do when they will come to replace and correct everything… OK, As I have mentioned earlier the locks in the windows were getting stiff while opening them and closing them (the part which is getting stiffed is circled in yellow – it is the whole mechanism in this lock). During the first inspection the man from the company which installed the windows, sprayed them with some special spray (he sprayed those locks plus also underneath – I think - somehow “inside the lock” as the red arrow is pointing) which should help and it did for a couple of weeks. Now those locks are getting stiff again, it is getting really hard to open them. I do not think it is normal. If he comes again to spray again I do not think it will hep in a long term… And advice on this please?

I know nothing about windows, construction etc so asking questions is asking for help from a different source rather than the fitters themselves - I did not want to be told "it is a minor scratch" or "the windows are stiff now but once you use them a bit they will get better" etc. Once you are left with the job I was left with plus without any comments from them for example "..oh we know this window we have to come back and replace ..." or sth along those lines, I was a bit amazed. Hence I wanted to know what the general rules are and understand as much as possible. The answers were really helpfully - than you all, plus again thank you to those who stood up for me or/and will stand up again for anybody who might post on this forum in the future and might be in the similar situation.

Thank you all for your help - much appreciated it, plus Craig thank you for standing up for me 🙂

Because some other people living here in those apartments, houses complained about the windows which they had (they about 12 years old). Mine were fine, but the Housing Association has decided to replace all the windows for everybody at once.

Two more questions, if two dark/grey pads (like on the photo 1 here in the old frame) are removed from one side of the side window panel (which is not ever going to be opened, like on the photo 2) to the balcony doors is it ok or not? And if the level looks like on photo 3 in one place is it ok? Should the level be used when fitting windows?