Do I Need to put trickle vents in my new windows?

This article will answer that question. The answer is most likely yes, but I will expand below.

Why do I need trickle vents?

It is a building regulation that you need them in most circumstances. Even replacement where there aren’t currently vents. (That’s the recent change – June 2022).

The regulation involves making sure that indoor air quality is good. Why a consumer can’t do that themselves is what I find daft. People can open their windows and put them on the latch / night vent – but that’s just my two cents. It’s the regs – so that’s what must happen.

For those of you that want to see the regulation in full see the following Document F .gov website

Exceptions

High Traffic / Pollution Areas – they don’t define what that is exactly – but a busy road with traffic fumes will make the air quality in your home worse not better so its allowed. They will probably make you put the vents in the back however anyway.

Conservation Areas/ Listed or Historic Buildings – the need to be in keeping takes precedence and allows for an exemption

Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system – if you have one of these – they help with the air quality anyways so no need for the trickle vent. Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery Explained

Can’t fit Vents in – If the windows are too small to fit the vents – you don’t have to have them.

Relacing less than 30% of the windows – as long as other energy efficiency measures have been completed e.g. cavity wall insulation N.B. You wont just be able to do the whole job in bits and get away with it that way!

Ways Round if you don’t want vents?

The only way I can see that is possible is to do the jobs and not getting them signed off for building regs (which is what a FENSA , CERTASS, Assure, certifications do). That’s not a good idea as I would question a company that would do that for you. Companies do make a big deal about trying to sell your house afterwards if you don’t have a certificate. That’s true it would come up and potentially be an issue. In my experience you could buy an indemnity at point of sale to cover it if you wanted to.