Can I avoid a 'fine' from BC who know about my illegal window?

A question about : Can I avoid a 'fine' from BC who know about my illegal window?

The council made me remove flaking paint and repaint the front of my house, and also replace a rotten-framed boarded up window. I was given a second-hand d/g unit manufactured in 2006 which I fitted myself, but had a visit from a building control officer a few weeks later. Now I had heard of FENSA, but thought it was just another trade body. I now find I'm supposed to have it signed off by a competent person under this scheme, or pay the council to assess it. Now, I know it wouldn't pass, so I'm worried that the council could force an inspection on me and charge Ј162, the 'regularisation' fee for any number of doors/windows from one to twelve. Furthermore, they could impose a 50% surcharge for making a retrospective building regs application. I'd much rather put this money towards a new window from a FENSA registered concern, but they all seem to be booked up for weeks or not interested in doing a single window. Should I board the window meanwhile, and would I have to actually remove it as well?

Best answers:

• You can put in another window yourself, as long as it complies with current regs. You'll have to pay for BC but you'll save the fitting fee and mark up from the FENSA registered co.