Offer Finance for Windows, Doors and Glazing
End-to-end compliance support for window, door and glazing companies offering finance to their customers.
Understanding customer finance for doors, windows and glazing
Customer finance allows window installers, double glazing companies, door suppliers, fabricators and home improvement businesses to spread the cost of products, surveys, fitting and installation over an agreed period.
Common applications include full-house window replacement, double or triple glazing, composite and bi-fold doors, conservatories, roofline products, secondary glazing, repairs and energy-efficiency upgrades. Offering or arranging consumer finance can be regulated, so businesses need to establish which FCA requirements apply.
Why offer finance for doors, windows and glazing?
Replacement windows, doors and glazing can be necessary as well as discretionary, while whole-property projects can involve a substantial upfront cost.
Finance can reduce that barrier, improve affordability and potentially support conversion and higher average order values, making whole-house replacements and premium products more accessible while giving customers predictable repayments.
These benefits apply to installers, glazing companies, showrooms, manufacturers and supply-and-fit businesses, while helping them compete.
What finance options are available?
There is no single type of customer finance. The right solution depends on the products being sold, your customers’ spending habits and the retailer’s chosen finance provider.
0% Finance
Interest-free credit or 0% finance allows customers to repay the amount borrowed without interest under the agreement, making larger replacement projects more manageable.
Interest-bearing agreements
Interest-bearing finance allows repayment of the amount borrowed plus interest over an agreed term.
Longer-term consumer credit agreements
Fixed-term instalments provide agreed repayments over a set period. Longer-term consumer credit can spread a larger cost over a longer period where permitted
Buy now, pay later (BNPL)
With buy now, pay later, payment is deferred according to the agreement, including when payment becomes due and whether interest or charges apply
Deferred payment plans
Interest-free deferred payment gives customers an initial period without interest or payments before repayments begin.
How can The Compliance Guys help?
The Compliance Guys can assess whether a proposed finance model requires FCA authorisation and whether Limited Permission, Full Permission or another compliant route may apply.
Support can include FCA applications, business plans and regulatory documents, FCA liaison, finance promotion advice across websites, quotations, home sales appointments, showrooms and social media, plus guidance on lender, broker, appointed representative and introducer arrangements and ongoing compliance.
Get your FCA application right first time!
Contact The Compliance Guys today on 01792 926 040 or email sales@thecomplianceguys.co.uk for more information about our bathroom finance and FCA authoristion support!
The compliance considerations
Offering finance without meeting requirements can expose a business to enforcement, financial penalties, complaints and reputational damage.
Introducing or arranging consumer finance will often amount to credit broking, but the position depends on the business model and any exemption or exclusion. Businesses should check lenders’, brokers’ and principals’ permissions before launching or changing a finance programme.
FCA Authorisation
Window, door and glazing firms may require FCA authorisation where their activities amount to regulated credit broking or another regulated activity. The appropriate route depends on whether the business introduces customers, arranges finance, makes recommendations, offers its own credit or acts under an authorised principal.
Disclosure
Finance information should be clear, timely and transparent, including representative examples, interest rates, total payable, agreement terms, deposits and deferred-payment conditions. Customers should understand their rights, how to complain and who the lender or broker is.
Marketing
Financial promotions must be clear, fair and not misleading across websites, product pages, quotations, social media, advertising, showroom materials, sales emails, estimates and home-survey or installation communications. Misleading claims or incomplete information create regulatory and customer risks.
Customer Protection
Businesses must treat customers fairly and consider their needs and circumstances where relevant. This includes supporting vulnerable customers, complaint handling, customer support, transparency and Consumer Duty obligations where applicable.
Using 3rd party credit brokers
In a typical introducer arrangement, the glazing business introduces the customer while a broker or lender provides or arranges finance. An authorised partner does not remove the business’s own obligations, so its sales process, promotions and contractual arrangements still need assessment.
The broker, lender or principal should hold appropriate FCA permissions. Possible routes include direct authorisation, appointed representative or introducer-appointed representative arrangements, and genuinely exempt instalment credit where legal criteria are met.
Businesses should obtain specialist advice before relying on an exemption, exclusion or principal-led arrangement.
Why choose The Compliance Guys?
Authorisation made simple
FCA authorisation can be complex. The Compliance Guys support first-time applications and changes in control, helping businesses understand requirements and minimise delays.
Experts across sectors and application types
We work with home improvement firms and secondary credit brokers, covering Full and Limited Permissions, Variations of Permissions, Change in Control Applications and New Firm Registrations.
End-to-end support, every step of the way
Support can cover document preparation, FCA communication, responding to feedback and progressing the application through to submission.
Personalised, professional guidance
The Compliance Guys provide guidance on business plans and financial forecasts. If the FCA requests further information or an interview, we can help the business prepare.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a credit broker?
A credit broker connects customers seeking finance with lenders or finance providers rather than necessarily providing the credit itself. Regulation depends on what the business does.
What is a lending licence?
A credit broker connects customers seeking finance with lenders or finance providers rather than necessarily providing the credit itself. Regulation depends on what the business does.
How do I register with the FCA?
Businesses apply for FCA authorisation and provide information and supporting documentation about the business and proposed activities, including business plans, financial information, regulatory documents and FCA questions, however, timescales will vary.
Does FCA authorisation expire?
FCA authorisation does not typically expire after a fixed period, but businesses must continue meeting regulatory obligations and maintain appropriate permissions.
What window, door and glazing products can finance cover?
Finance can potentially cover full-house window replacement, supply-and-fit packages, uPVC, aluminium and timber windows, double, triple and secondary glazing, composite, bi-fold and sliding doors, conservatories, orangeries, roof lanterns and replacement roofs.
It can also cover roofline products, security, acoustic and energy-efficiency upgrades, surveys, fitting and installation labour.
What finance options do glazing and window customers expect?
Customers may look for 0% finance, BNPL, monthly instalments and longer repayment terms. Options vary according to contract value, deposit, survey, installation timetable, cancellation rights and the finance partner’s products.
Can offering window and glazing finance increase sales?
Finance can potentially support higher enquiry-to-sale conversion, higher-value projects and performance upgrades, and reduce hesitation around a large upfront cost. It does not guarantee sales or approvals, and promotions must remain clear, fair and not misleading.
Is 0% finance the same as BNPL?
No. Interest-free instalment finance involves repayments without interest, while deferred payment or BNPL postpones payment according to its terms. The structures can have different regulatory considerations.
Do window, door and glazing companies need FCA authorisation to offer finance?
There is no single answer. The position depends on the business model, whether it introduces, arranges, recommends or provides credit, and whether it is directly authorised, acts for an authorised principal or can rely on an exemption or exclusion. Specialist advice should be obtained if the route is unclear.
Get in touch...
Call us for a chat on 01792 926 040, or fill out the form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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