Rushworth Inspection Services and Auditing (RISA) now carries out assessments of replacement windows and doors under Section 75 of the UK consumer protection law. Section 75 is part of the Consumer Credit Act that protects purchases made on a credit card or via a loan, so that consumers can get their money back if there is a problem.
“For consumers who have bought replacement windows and doors on a credit card, or with a loan from a finance company, Section 75 offers another level of legal protection and peace of mind,” said Dave Mecham, director of inspection and assessment. “RISA is committed to continual quality improvement in the fenestration industry, so, opening up our accredited inspection services to finance and credit providers in this way makes perfect sense.”
In a nutshell, Section 75 means that, for purchases between £100 and £30,000 bought with credit, the lender is as responsible as the supplier – so the consumer isn’t left with a debt for a purchase they don’t receive or that wasn’t up to scratch. Section 75 claims can also be made even if the consumer hasn’t paid the full amount using a credit facility or credit card. If just a deposit has been paid using a credit card, the buyer still has full protection under Section 75 for the full amount; the protection is not limited to the amount paid. In the case of domestic window and door replacements, if a consumer is unhappy with their installation and cannot settle the dispute with their installer, their credit provider can be held responsible.
RISA’s independence ensures that Section 75 assessments are carried out impartially, and without a conflict of interest. RISA does not profit in any way from any subsequent remedial work required on the installation being inspected. This independence benefits installation companies with complaints from rogue customers, who can try to receive a pay out for issues not of their making, or issues that do not exist.
Dave added: “Essentially, we’ll be asking: Did the customer get what they ordered? If not, how can it be rectified? As RISA is independent from the process, and any remedial work that may be identified, we offer lenders an impartial assessment of a dispute that they might not get from the other parties involved.”
A RISA section 75 assessment looks at the specifics of the complaint, building regulation compliance and the quality of the installation. The report concludes with RISA’s recommendations for any action to be taken.
