The Original Box Sash Window Company www.boxsash.com

I was entirely satisfied with the installation of new windows in my 14th century Listed Building property, work which was carried out in April 1999 at the cost of around £26,000. I was so pleased with the work that I recommended this company to a neighbour of mine. That is a decision I bitterly regret. My neighbour has subsequently had problems with his installation; these are the problems I have had with mine. The windows have been repainted every 5 years since installation with microporous paint, as recommended. In August 2012, I identified wet rot in the window frames. A specialist in Listed building repair work investigated and, coincidentally, cracks appeared in the glazing panels of 9 of the windows. His report was submitted to the company along with a covering letter from me; their response was completely dismissive and boiled down to blaming me for causing the problems by failing to carry out adequate maintenance. Subsequent investigations reveal:

1) Nails securing the tenon joints had corroded, leaving timber in the area in poor condition.

2) The angle at which some of the windows were installed in this old property (because some of the walls are not a true vertical) had compromised the efficiency of the sills.

3) The tight margin between sill and bottom rail created a water trap.

4) The draft control strips in each window allowed moisture to be retained which soaked into the oak frames.

5) The glass had been fitted so snugly into the frames that any movement of the house was likely to cause stress fractures. I am awaiting such stress fractures to happen in the remaining windows.

This experience has turned out to be a disaster. I am seeking further professional opinions on the quality of wood used in the original installation as well as the quality of the glass before resorting to legal advice with a view to obtaining some sort of satisfaction through legal processes. I would strongly advise anyone not to use this company for window installations which is a shame as the original installation was carried out in an exemplary manner and I thought I had bought Rolls Royce windows that would last me a lifetime. This has proved not to be the case and the arrogant and dismissive manner in which the company has responded to my predicament has been a real shock to me.