A landmark report from Citizens Advice has shone a spotlight on what many in the glazing industry have long feared: the home repairs market is failing consumers, and the consequences are serious.
Published in July 2026, the report found that more than one in four homeowners experienced a problem with their most recent repair or improvement project in the last 18 months.
Of those who lost money, the average loss was £750, and for one in ten, that loss rose to above £5,000. On top of the financial impact, more than a third said the experience left them feeling stressed, and more than one in ten said it made them feel unsafe in their own home.
These are not abstract statistics; they are bright red flags that the industry cannot ignore.
The report represents millions of homeowners who have been left to navigate a fragmented, largely unregulated market, with little effective protection when things go wrong.
For Dave Mechem, Managing Director of FENSA, the report confirms what the industry has been grappling with for years – and makes the case for FENSA approved installers more clearly than ever.
“This report is a wake-up call for the wider home improvement sector,” says Dave. “But for those of us in the glazing industry, it also reinforces something that we’ve been working hard to address – the gap between what homeowners expect when they hire an installer, and the protection they actually receive.”
The Citizens Advice findings paint a picture of a market where consumers are struggling to make informed choices.
This is not for lack of effort, but because the tools available to them aren’t working.
Only eight percent of people who hired a trader checked whether they belonged to a professional or trade body. Just seven percent used an approved or accredited trader scheme to find someone for the job. And a striking 36 percent relied on informal personal recommendations rather than formal verification routes.
The reality is that homeowners are searching in a market that has failed to make the right choice the easy choice.
“Homeowners are doing their best to find someone they can trust,” explains Dave. “But when formal accreditation schemes are hard to find, difficult to verify, and poorly understood, it’s no surprise that people fall back to word of mouth. The industry has a responsibility to change that.”
What the Citizens Advice report also makes clear is that accreditation does make a measurable difference – particularly when things don’t go to plan.
Among consumers who used a trader registered with an Alternative Dispute Resolution scheme, 86 percent said their issue was resolved.
For those whose trader was not registered, that figure dropped to 67 percent.
The presence of a formal framework including accountability, documentation, and a clear route to resolution changes outcomes in real and meaningful ways.
This is precisely where FENSA installers stand apart.
Every FENSA registered installer operates within a structured framework of compliance, certification, and accountability. Installations are notifiable, meaning they are formally recorded as meeting building regulations.
Homeowners also receive an insurance backed guarantee that protects them even in the event that the installer ceases to trade. And, critically, FENSA provides a clear, accessible route to support when homeowners need it.
“FENSA exists to give both installers and homeowners the confidence that can only be found when working within a properly governed system,” continues Dave.
“For installers, that means technical support, clear compliance guidance, and a recognised badge of professionalism that homeowners increasingly value. For homeowners, it means knowing that if something isn’t quite right, there is a team ready to guide you.”
The Citizens Advice report calls for a single register for traders, mandatory licensing, and wider access to dispute resolution.
These are significant policy recommendations – and ones that align closely with the direction FENSA is working towards.
The infrastructure the report is calling for already exists within the glazing industry, the challenge now is making it more visible, more accessible, and better understood by the homeowners who need it most.
“The message from the report is clear,” concludes Dave. “Voluntary, fragmented protection isn’t enough. Homeowners deserve better – and FENSA approved installers are already delivering it.”
For more information visit fensa.org.uk
