Updating post from Reddit.

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Posted by attendingduck1 2 days ago
Should my landlord fix all the house windows?

So i recently last month moved into a new build house and i am renting from a private landlord. I am a first time renter. But as the weather recently has been really windy and cold i noticed that actually in every window of the house theres a draught. All day and night the blinds are moving around. Is my landlord supposed to fix all of those or is it something i should do myself? I have sent an email about it to him earlier today but not heard anything yet.

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Posted by Jakes_Snake_ 2 days ago

If it’s a new build, the landlord would be contacting the developer or warranty provider. Might take a while. All windows would be to be reinstalled.

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Posted by attendingduck1 2 days ago

Yeah i think he’d probably have to send them to fix it if there were faults. I dont have their contacts myself. Fingers crossed it might get done a little quicker considering its the winter months

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Posted by n3m0sum 2 days ago

You have a contract with the landlord, the landlord has a contract or warranty with the builder.

The only person that you can complain to at this point, is the landlord. The landlord has the standing to complain to the builder.

If all the windows are leaking it's going to cost a fortune to heat through winter. If the energy rating is estimated based on building specs. That will assume everything is properly installed.

If your landlord isn't motivated to get this fixed. It may be worth having a heating survey done, and getting a new energy rating for the property. A lowering of the energy rating may give you leverage.

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Posted by LettuceWithBeetroot 1 day ago

> It may be worth having a heating survey done, and getting a new energy rating for the property.

This isn't the tenants responsibility, nor the cost that it'd incur!

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Posted by TravelOwn4386 2 days ago

There are a lot of questions here...

  1. Are the windows uPVC?
  2. Are the windows fully closing? If not the hinges are broken and probably need replacing
  3. Do the windows have trickle vents? These are fitted to most windows and should let fresh air in and poluted air out. If it has these then the windows might not be faulty.
  4. If the air is getting in around the window frame this could be a rubber seal fault but you say it is on all of them so I can't see all of them failing at the same time.
  5. There are products available if you want to stop draft on windows such as sealant strips and thermal films.

So it really does depend if the windows are faulty or not as some will let air in by design. If there is obvious fault then landlord should really investigate and rectify but a lot probably wouldn't do anything.

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Posted by attendingduck1 2 days ago

I reckon it may be some faults. Its on every window but sort of varies in the place the wind is coming from. Theres a couple of large windows where wind only comes through a corner of the frame and then smaller ones where the bottom of the frame allows wind. Im definitely sure theyre all fully closed. Ive been told by the landlord when i moved in that because the house will sort of “move” about because its quite literally brand new so maybe its just something thats started happening

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Posted by TravelOwn4386 2 days ago

Oh if its new build then i highly doubt the windows are faulty they will have trickle vents as its in the regs now and will be letting air in. You can contact the landlord to have a look but you will never get perfectly sealed windows as they are not meant to be else you will end up with mould/damp issues and lack of airflow. It's the reason you are supposed to open your windows for a bit each day throughout the winter.

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Posted by kailajay 2 days ago

I've seen a builder do walkthroughs of new builds and there have been things like windows and doors put in upside down or back to front, I wouldn't say for sure they wouldn't be faulty.

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Posted by TravelOwn4386 2 days ago

True but if every window is doing the same thing then either the fitters should not be fitting windows or there is nothing wrong.

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Posted by TravelOwn4386 2 days ago

There are a lot of questions here...

  1. Are the windows uPVC?
  2. Are the windows fully closing? If not the hinges are broken and probably need replacing
  3. Do the windows have trickle vents? These are fitted to most windows and should let fresh air in and poluted air out. If it has these then the windows might not be faulty.
  4. If the air is getting in around the window frame this could be a rubber seal fault but you say it is on all of them so I can't see all of them failing at the same time.
  5. There are products available if you want to stop draft on windows such as sealant strips and thermal films.

So it really does depend if the windows are faulty or not as some will let air in by design. If there is obvious fault then landlord should really investigate and rectify but a lot probably wouldn't do anything.

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Posted by Inner-Spread-6582 2 days ago

Take videos and send them to your landlord ASAP, as he may still have a valid warranty to sort this out with the developer. Once that warranty runs out, it's less likely this will ever get resolved.

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Posted by sparkyplug28 2 days ago

Have you shut the vents in the top of the window if it’s windy those being open 100% matches what you described

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Posted by Nysicle 2 days ago

Have you tried putting your windows on winter mode rather than summer mode?

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Posted by Sburns85 2 days ago

Not a thing on 90% of windows

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Posted by MyAccidentalAccount 1 day ago

It's the Saturday before Christmas, you probably won't be getting a response that quickly.

Short answer is they are responsible

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