Is Your Deposit Protected? What FENSA, IWA and Insurance-Backed Guarantees Really Mean

Yes, your deposit can be protected, but only if the installer registers your payment with a recognised deposit protection scheme before you hand over any money. The two questions that decide whether your cash is genuinely safe are simple: is the deposit ring-fenced if the company stops trading, and is the guarantee on the finished work backed by an insurer rather than resting on a single firm staying in business. If you want the plain answer for your own project, book a free survey and we will put the protection in writing before you commit.

This guide explains what FENSA, CERTASS, IWA deposit protection and an insurance-backed guarantee actually cover, how the Consumer Rights Act 2015 sits behind all of it, and the exact questions to ask any installer in Caerphilly, Cardiff or the wider South Wales area before you sign a thing. We fit windows, doors and conservatories every week, so this is written the way we explain it across the kitchen table.

Key takeaways

• Deposit protection ring-fences your money so you can recover it if the installer ceases trading before your job is finished.
• An insurance-backed guarantee is underwritten by an insurer, so cover survives even if the original company closes.
• FENSA and CERTASS are both competent person schemes; either lets an installer self-certify Building Regulations compliance.
• The Consumer Rights Act 2015 already gives you strong legal protection on quality, fit and timing.
• A written guarantee is only as good as what it lists as covered, excluded and transferable to a new owner.
• Ask for scheme numbers, the insurer name and sample paperwork before you pay a penny.

What does deposit protection actually mean?

Deposit protection means the money you pay up front is covered by an independent scheme, so if the installer goes under before your work is complete you can claim your deposit back rather than losing it to the failed business. Most home improvement firms ask for a deposit of between 10 and 25 per cent to order materials, and for a set of windows or a conservatory that can run to a serious sum. Without protection, that money simply sits with the company and becomes part of the general pot if the firm fails.

Schemes such as IWA deposit protection work by insuring the amount you pay, up to a stated limit and usually up to 25 per cent of the contract value. The installer registers your job, you receive a certificate that names you and the sum protected, and if the worst happens you claim against the insurer rather than chasing a company that no longer exists. The key point is timing. The protection has to be in place at the moment you pay, not promised for later, so always ask to see the certificate for your own job.

• Check the scheme name and that your deposit sits within its cover limit.
• Get the certificate in your name, not a generic company statement.
• Confirm the protection is active before, not after, you transfer money.

What is an insurance-backed guarantee, and why does it matter?

An insurance-backed guarantee, often shortened to IBG, is a policy that stands behind the written guarantee your installer gives you. If the company that fitted your windows or conservatory stops trading during the guarantee period, the insurer steps in to honour the original terms. A guarantee from the firm alone is worth exactly as much as the firm’s survival, and in a trade where businesses do come and go, that is a real risk to weigh.

Here is the distinction that catches people out. The installer’s own guarantee covers workmanship and materials for a set number of years, commonly ten. The insurance-backed guarantee is a separate document, issued by an insurer, that keeps that cover alive if the installer is no longer around to answer the call. You want both. Ask which insurer underwrites the policy, what the term is, and whether it transfers to a buyer if you sell the house, because a transferable guarantee is a genuine selling point that a surveyor can note.

How long should the cover last?

Ten years is the common benchmark for windows, doors and roof systems, and it should match the length of the installer guarantee so there is no gap. For a LEKA warm-roof conservatory or a full set of A-rated windows, a ten-year insurance-backed guarantee is the standard to hold out for. Read the term carefully, because a five-year policy sitting behind a ten-year promise leaves you exposed for the back half.

FENSA or CERTASS: what is the difference?

FENSA and CERTASS are both competent person schemes approved by government, and either one allows a registered installer to self-certify that your replacement windows and doors meet Building Regulations without you having to apply separately to Building Control. In practice there is little to choose between them on the protection they signal. What matters is that your installer is genuinely registered with one of them, that the registration is current, and that you receive the certificate after the work.

Daimant is FENSA-registered, which means every replacement window and external door we fit is notified to your local authority and logged against your address. That certificate is the document a buyer’s solicitor asks for during a sale, so keep it safe. If an installer cannot give you a scheme number that you can check, treat that as a warning sign rather than a detail. You can verify a FENSA registration directly through the FENSA website using the company details.

• Both schemes let the installer self-certify Part L and Building Regulations compliance.
• You should receive a certificate logged to your property address.
• Verify the registration number yourself rather than taking it on trust.

What does the Consumer Rights Act 2015 give you?

The Consumer Rights Act 2015 sits underneath every home improvement contract in Wales and England, and it gives you three clear rights: the work must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, the materials must be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose, and where no firm date is agreed the job must be done within a reasonable time. These rights apply whether or not anything is written down, so they are your legal floor before any guarantee is added on top.

If something goes wrong, the Act gives you a route to a repair, a replacement or a price reduction, and it puts the burden on the trader to put faults right at their own cost within the first six months. Deposit protection and an insurance-backed guarantee do not replace these rights; they add practical cover for the situation the law struggles with, which is a company that has simply disappeared. Together, the law and the schemes cover both the quality of the work and the survival of the firm.

What happens if the installer goes out of business?

This is the fear that stops most people going ahead, and it is a fair one. If your installer folds after you have paid a deposit but before the work is done, deposit protection is what lets you recover that money from the scheme rather than joining a queue of creditors. If the company folds years later, after the job is finished, the insurance-backed guarantee is what keeps your ten-year cover alive so a fault can still be put right.

Without those two protections, a failed installer leaves you with nothing to claim against. This is why we are open about our cover from the first visit rather than burying it in the small print. A homeowner in Caerphilly or Cyncoed who has read this far will understand why the paperwork matters more than the sales patter, and that clarity is what lets you buy with confidence.

What does a window, door or conservatory guarantee really cover?

A guarantee is only as good as the detail inside it, so read what is covered, what is excluded and for how long. A strong guarantee on a set of windows covers the sealed units against misting, the frames against warping and discolouration, and the moving parts such as hinges, handles and locks. On a composite door from our doors range it should cover the slab against delamination and the multi-point lock mechanism. On a conservatory roof it should cover the structure and weather-tightness.

Watch for the common exclusions. Glass breakage after handover, accidental damage, and normal wear on seals are often outside the cover, which is reasonable, but the term length on each element can vary, and some firms offer ten years on frames but only one or two on hardware. If you are weighing up a job, our guide to conservatory roof replacement costs shows how the guarantee sits alongside the price, and our piece on composite door security explains what the hardware cover should include.

Is the guarantee transferable?

A transferable guarantee passes to the next owner if you sell within the cover period, which is worth having because it reassures a buyer and their surveyor. Ask whether transfer is automatic or needs a form, and whether the insurance-backed guarantee transfers with it. For anyone in Cardiff or the Vale planning to move on within a decade, a transferable ten-year guarantee is a small detail that supports the sale price.

How do you vet an installer before you pay a deposit?

Vetting an installer is mostly about asking for evidence and checking it yourself. Look for a real trading address you can visit, a FENSA or CERTASS registration you can verify, deposit protection you can see a certificate for, and an insurance-backed guarantee from a named insurer. A family-run firm with a fixed showroom, like our base in Caerphilly, is easier to hold accountable than a business working only from a mobile number and a leaflet.

Look at how the quote is presented too. A clear written quotation that lists the glazing spec, the U-values, the security rating and the guarantee terms tells you the firm has nothing to hide. Reviews help, but treat a handful of recent, detailed reviews as more telling than a big round number. If you want to see the standard of finish before you decide, our gallery of completed work shows real South Wales installations, and our about us page sets out who we are and how long we have traded.

• Confirm a fixed trading address or showroom you can visit.
• Verify the FENSA or CERTASS number on the scheme website.
• Ask to see the deposit protection certificate and the insurer name.
• Get the full spec and guarantee terms in writing before you sign.

What questions should you ask before signing?

Keep a short list to hand and put every question to each firm you get a quote from. The answers, and how readily they come, tell you as much as the price. A reputable installer working across Cardiff, Caerphilly and Newport will answer all of these without hesitation and back them up on paper.

If any answer is vague, ask for it in writing. A firm that stands behind its work will happily commit the detail to the quotation, and that written record is what protects you if a dispute ever arises. This is also the point at which our Cardiff windows, doors and conservatories guide can help, because it sets out what suits local housing stock and what a fair local quote should include.

• Is my deposit protected, by which scheme, and up to what amount?
• Is there an insurance-backed guarantee, and which insurer underwrites it?
• What is your FENSA or CERTASS number so I can check it?
• What exactly does the guarantee cover, exclude and for how long?
• Is the guarantee transferable if I sell the house?

Worked examples

Worked example: a conservatory deposit in Caerphilly

Take a homeowner in Caerphilly ordering a LEKA warm-roof conservatory with a contract value of around 18,000 pounds, as a guide. The installer asks for a 20 per cent deposit, which is 3,600 pounds, to order the frames and roof system. With IWA deposit protection registered at the point of payment, that 3,600 pounds is covered up to the scheme limit, so if the firm ceased trading before installation the homeowner could claim the deposit back rather than lose it.

Once the conservatory is fitted, a ten-year insurance-backed guarantee sits behind the installer guarantee. If, five years later, the fitting company had closed and a roof seal failed, the insurer would honour the repair under the original terms. The homeowner has paid nothing extra for either protection; both were built into a quote presented in writing at the survey.

Worked example: a full window replacement in Cardiff

Now consider a 1930s semi in Rhiwbina, Cardiff, having eight A-rated casement windows replaced for around 7,500 pounds fitted, as a guide. The installer is FENSA-registered, so each window is self-certified against Building Regulations and logged to the address, and the homeowner receives a FENSA certificate two to three weeks after the fit. That certificate is exactly what a buyer’s solicitor will ask for at resale.

The written guarantee covers the sealed units against misting for ten years, the frames against warping and discolouration for ten years, and the hinges, handles and locks for ten years, with an insurance-backed guarantee from a named insurer standing behind the lot. Because the guarantee is transferable, the homeowner can pass it to a buyer, which supports the asking price. The deposit of 1,500 pounds was protected from the day it was paid.

Grants rarely cover windows or doors in Wales, and our guide to home improvement grants in Wales explains what Nest and ECO4 do fund. Our page on Daimant in Caerphilly covers the survey, quote and guarantee we give on every job.

Frequently asked questions

Is my deposit safe if I pay a window company up front?

It is safe only if the installer registers your deposit with a recognised protection scheme such as IWA at the moment you pay. Ask for a certificate in your name showing the amount protected. Without that certificate your deposit is not ring-fenced and could be lost if the company fails.

What is the difference between a guarantee and an insurance-backed guarantee?

A guarantee is the installer’s own promise to put faults right for a set number of years. An insurance-backed guarantee is a separate policy from an insurer that keeps that cover alive if the installer stops trading. You want both, ideally each running for ten years.

Is FENSA better than CERTASS?

Neither is better; both are government-approved competent person schemes that let a registered installer self-certify Building Regulations compliance for replacement windows and doors. What matters is that your installer is genuinely registered and gives you a certificate you can verify. Daimant is FENSA-registered.

What does the Consumer Rights Act 2015 protect me from?

It requires the work to be done with reasonable care and skill, the materials to be of satisfactory quality and fit for purpose, and the job to be finished within a reasonable time. If something is wrong, you have a right to a repair, replacement or price reduction. These rights apply even without a written contract.

What happens to my guarantee if the installer goes bust?

If you have an insurance-backed guarantee, the insurer honours the original terms even after the company has closed, so a covered fault can still be put right. If you only have the installer’s own guarantee, it usually dies with the business, which is why the insurance-backed version matters.

Should I ever pay the full price before the work is done?

No. A fair contract takes a protected deposit up front and the balance only when the work is complete and you are satisfied. Be cautious of any firm asking for full payment in advance, and always keep a written record of what has been paid and what is still due.

Can I check an installer’s FENSA registration myself?

Yes. Ask the installer for their FENSA registration number and company details, then verify them on the FENSA website. A firm that cannot give you a number to check is one to approach with caution before paying any deposit.