Step 1 — find the paperwork
Before any route can be pursued, locate the original contract, finance agreement, payment record and — most importantly — any Insurance-Backed Guarantee (IBG) certificate. An IBG is a separate insurance policy that pays out on the workmanship guarantee even if the original installer has ceased trading. It is usually issued by a third-party provider such as QANW, GPI, or IWA, not by the installer themselves.
If the homeowner remembers being offered a '10-year guarantee' or '25-year guarantee', there is a reasonable chance an IBG sits behind it. The certificate is the proof the provider will need.
Step 2 — work out the payment route
How the installation was paid for changes the legal route significantly:
- Finance agreement or credit card — Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act applies. The claim is against the credit provider, not the installer. The installer ceasing to trade does not affect this.
- Cash or bank transfer with a valid IBG — claim against the IBG provider following their published claims procedure.
- Cash or bank transfer with no IBG — limited routes. The homeowner is generally a creditor of the failed company and may need to engage with the insolvency practitioner, though recovery is rare.
Step 3 — get the evidence in order
Whichever route applies, the IBG provider or credit provider will require independent evidence of the defect. They are not going to take a homeowner's word for it, and they are not going to commission their own report.
An independent inspection report sets out what is actually wrong — foam type, moisture readings, ventilation status, hygrothermal risk, BBA cross-reference where applicable — in a format that is structured to support an IBG, Section 75 or FOS claim. It does the technical job that the IBG provider needs done before they can authorise rectification.
What an IBG claim usually requires
- Original IBG certificate and policy schedule
- Proof of the original installation (contract, invoice)
- Independent inspection report identifying the defect and its cause
- Photographic evidence of the defect
- Statement of the rectification work the homeowner is claiming for
A note on time limits
IBG policies have specific time limits — usually 10 or 25 years from the installation date, with a duty to notify the provider promptly once the defect is discovered. Section 75 and FOS have their own timescales. Acting quickly preserves the most options.