HOME OWNERS have been urged to stay vigilant when carrying out improvements to their property.

The warning from Darlington Borough Council yesterday came in the wake of reports that some companies are failing to comply with new building regulations.

The regulations, which came into effect earlier this year, state that anyone installing replacement windows or doors must comply with strict energy efficiency standards.

It is now the responsibility of the home occupier to ensure the company they are dealing with is registered under a Government-approved scheme, or that they have a certificate of approval from the local authority.

The Fensa scheme, set up by the Glass and Glazing Federation, allows installation companies to meet criteria to self-certify that their work complies with regulations.

Fensa-appointed inspectors randomly pick jobs for quality control tests and any companies not meeting the required standards can be suspended or excluded from the scheme.

Any installation done by a company which is not registered to self-certify, including work done as a DIY project by a householder, needs local authority approval.

Council officials are stressing that home owners are ultimately responsible for ensuring any work done complies with regulations.

They say that, because of legal and technical checks done every time a home is sold, illegal installations will be discovered at the worst possible time. The new regulations have resulted in delayed sales or even the loss of sales because buyers lose confidence in the house vendor.

Councillor Stephen Harker, Darlington council's cabinet member for community protection, said: "We strongly urge home owners to take care when deciding on replacement windows. It is their responsibility to check that the company they are using complies with the new legislation. Failure to do this may mean delays and heartaches when the property is sold and, at worst, that the home owner is breaking the law.

"If in doubt, they should contact the council's building services team for guidance before signing any contract."

Further information is available from the building control office at Darlington Town Hall on (01325) 388611.