Are new fit upvc window trickle vents mandatory?

[Trevorleach]

Getting quote for new windows, and fella reckons since June this year it is now mandatory for all new windows to have them.
Google does not reveal much, well actually it reveals loads of contradicting answers!

 

[tom2207]

If they were an option I would certainly opt for them .

Having some older property without ,,, its long term grief.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Yes it is.

 

[Trevorleach]

If they were an option I would certainly opt for them .

Having some older property without ,,, its long term grief.

When he said it I was initially against them, but it is a rental property!

 

[Trevorleach]

Yes it is.

Thank you.

 

[OJCar]

Trickle vents have been a requirement in Scotland for some years.
They can be a mixed blessing, but worth having.

 

[tom2207]

When he said it I was initially against them, but it is a rental property!

totally go for it ,,, if theres one place they are needed its rental

 

[brightspark]

When he said it I was initially against them, but it is a rental property!

and helps ventilate the house and reduce condensation as the tennants wont open any of the windows and causes mould on the walls

 

[tom2207]

and helps ventilate the house and reduce condensation as the tennants wont open any of the windows and causes mould on the walls

nail on the head . .... not being prejudiced , but Polish are tragic for ventilating property ,,,, so Ive found anyway.

 

[angellonewolf]

go with the vents id even go as far as ones you cant close would be ideal as lazy never opens them or if cold they close them then never opens again

they dont let that much cold in the small vents and id like to bet they get taped up in rented

 

[Dave-sparks]

nail on the head . .... not being prejudiced , but Polish are tragic for ventilating property ,,,, so Ive found anyway.

I've not noticed any issue with polish tenants. It's the student lets that always seem to be the worst for it!

 

[willie.macleod]

Trickle vents have been a requirement in Scotland for some years.
They can be a mixed blessing, but worth having.

I built my house in Scotland no windows have trickle vents..... they aren't required if you fit a MVHR system. They're inevitably duct taped up in an effort to avoid whistling/drafts in rental properties here, you cannot get a decent balance between correct ventilation and excessive heat loss in a windy environment.

For the OP though they may make sense but only if used correctly and with the cost of heating anything these days I suspect they'll fit into the never opened category.

 

[brightspark]

sometimes i dont put isolators on bathroom fans fed of the light in rented propertys because the tennants turn them off ive seen houses wrecked in order for tennants to complain about dampness and get re homed

 

[drjim]

Trickle vents are required unless you are installing an MVHR system and it's all signed off by building control. We refurbed our house and as I was planning an MVHR system when the windows were quoted they did it without vents. One window was done separately by another company and gained vents, but as that room has MVHR I keep it closed. Interestingly our slightly older UPVC at the front of the house has no vents and I don't recall it ever being mentioned as a thing. At the time it was a draughty 1930's house so not an issue anyway, since we put solid floors with UFH downstairs, and rebuilt the back of the house with lots of insulation in the extension and new window frames all round I think the MVHR has been a good choice and probably paid for itself. Even with the draughts everywhere we had huge condensation issues before the rebuild.

 

[Morrisman]

Triple glazing is now compulsory, if your windows have not been replaced for more than 8 years. An Irish guy told me that, knocked on my door offering to do the job a few weeks back.

I'm sure there will be elderly or unknowing people signing on the dotted line to get it done.

 

[h-dom]

Not aware of any changes and it has always been the regs that if you have trickle vents, you have to have them in your new windows too, and if you don't, you don't have to. You can if you want though.

Same as fire regs, you can't make it worse, only the same or better.

 

[striker]

My building inspector insisted on them 14yrs ago!!

 

[indy4x]

Not sure if it's different in Wales, when I built our extension back in 2008 it was a requirement to have trickle vents to all the windows in the extension

 

[gaz1]

the answer is no its not a mandatory requirement

but as some idiot pen pusher in the middle of covid who sat in there country place enjoyed the clean fresh air decided that the descrepency was down to the installer

other alternatives can still be used instead

now theyve used health and changeout of air within the home due to damp and moist conditions and that your home needs clean fresh air

this is the part where id really like to pin one of the many pen pushers down and stick a mask on there face direct to the main road so they can breath the car fumes in there lungs

they talk about fresh air but neglect to even mention the fumes coming from there daily use cars on busy roads in many cases the petrol and diesel fumes are coming into your home from them and every door thats open brings it in.

covid pointed this out so badly the air was so clean and fresh to walk along side of it

dont live near meat factories the smell is awful and you dont want that smell in your home

as goes for forced open trickle vents there not mandatory and if you have a open fire or wood stove you should have an alternative air source as close to the fire as possible pref under it or behind it

 

[northwest]

This article seems to confirm all of the above:

Trickle Vents Explained. Why And When You Need Them | ATS

Do you really need trickle vents in new windows and doors? Here's everything you need to know, including busting some myths around trickle vents.

www.aluminiumtradesupply.co.uk