The short version
- A deposit is protected only by a credit card payment or deposit protection insurance issued for your contract.
- Get written confirmation that the insurance is in place, not just a logo.
- Keep the deposit to 25% or less of the contract price.
- Pay the balance after you have checked the finished work.
Is your double glazing deposit protected?
Your double glazing deposit is protected only when you pay by credit card or the installer holds deposit protection insurance issued for your contract. A debit card gives you a chargeback request, and trade body membership protects nothing by itself.
| Route | What protects you | Limits | How to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credit card | The card provider is jointly liable with the installer under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 | Cash price over £100 and up to £30,000 | Keep the card statement and the contract |
| Debit card | A chargeback request through your bank | Not a legal right: the bank does not have to agree (Citizens Advice) | Ask the bank as soon as the problem starts |
| Deposit protection insurance | An insurer covers the deposit if the installer stops trading before finishing | Set by each policy. DGCOS: up to 25% of the contract value, £5,000 maximum, 120 days from signing | Get written confirmation that cover is in place for your contract |
| Trade body or scheme membership | Nothing by itself | Several insurers suspended or withdrew deposit cover (Glass and Glazing Federation, 2020) | Ask for the policy, not the logo |
| Cash or bank transfer | No card protection | Only a creditor claim if the firm stops trading | Ask to pay by card instead |
Ask each installer which route applies before you pay. Our questions to ask a double glazing salesman include who insures the deposit.
Check the policy was actually issued
Deposit protection insurance covers you only once the policy is registered for your contract. DGCOS states that "no protection will be in place" until it has written to confirm the cover, after the installer registers your installation. Its rule is to contact the installer or DGCOS if that letter has not arrived within five working days of signing, because "your payments will not be covered".
Payments above the policy limit are not covered either. DGCOS cover excludes any deposit or stage payment above 25% of the contract value, or above £5,000, made before the work is finished.
How much deposit is normal for double glazing?
A normal double glazing deposit is 25% or less of the contract price. Citizens Advice says to push the deposit down as far as possible and not to agree to more than 25%. The Glass and Glazing Federation put the average at about 20% in its 2020 guidance.
Citizens Advice also warns against paying everything up front, "in case something goes wrong or the trader doesn't turn up". A request for 40% or 50% is above both benchmarks, so ask the installer to justify it or bring it down. Nottingham City Council's Trading Standards lists "taking deposits and not returning to do the work" as a common doorstep crime, as our Nottingham double glazing quotes page notes.
Ask each installer when the deposit is due: at signing, or when the frames are ordered after the survey. Compare the answers alongside the price.
Why installers ask for a deposit
Installers ask for a deposit because replacement windows are made to measure for your home. The installer orders frames and sealed units to your sizes after the survey, and the deposit covers that order.
The deposit must appear in the paperwork. The Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 (Schedule 2, item u) require traders to tell you about any "deposits or other financial guarantees" before you are bound by the contract.
How to pay a double glazing deposit safely
Pay the deposit by credit card where you can, by debit card as the second choice, and avoid cash. Each method gives you a different level of protection.
Credit card and Section 75
A credit card makes the card provider jointly liable with the installer under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Cover applies to a cash price over £100 and up to £30,000. Which? confirms that paying only part of the cost by card still counts: its example is a small deposit on a credit card that lets you claim for the full contract value.
Debit card and chargeback
A debit card gives you a chargeback request through your bank, not a legal right. Citizens Advice notes the bank does not have to agree to it.
Cash and bank transfer
Cash and bank transfer give you no card protection at all. A firm that stops trading leaves you with a creditor claim unless the deposit is insured. Treat a cash-only deposit request as a reason to get another quote. Our page on how to check double glazing installers lists a large deposit before anything is made among the sales tactics to walk away from.
For loans and finance agreements, see the sister site's guide to double glazing finance and Section 75.
Compare deposit terms across quotes
Get free quotes from local installers who cover your postcode, then line up the deposit, payment stages and guarantee.
Stage payments and the final balance
Stage payments tie each payment to finished work, with the largest share paid last. Citizens Advice says staged payments mean "problems can be put right before you make the final payment". A staged schedule has three steps:
- Pay a deposit of 25% or less when you sign.
- Pay any agreed interim stage when the work it covers is done.
- Pay the balance after you have inspected the fitted windows.
Write the schedule into the contract. Our double glazing contract checklist lists the other payment terms to agree. Our page on Southend double glazing quotes lists the deposit amount and when the balance is due as lines every quote should show.
If the installer goes bust before fitting
Your route back to the deposit runs through your card provider, any deposit insurer and a creditor claim, in that order. See what happens if your double glazing company goes bust.
Deposit red flags
Five deposit requests call for a pause before you sign. Set them against your other quotes using our guide on how to compare double glazing quotes.
| Request | Why it matters | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| More than 25% up front | Above the Citizens Advice ceiling | Ask for 25% or less, or get another quote |
| Full payment before fitting | Nothing left to hold back if the work is poor | Insist on a balance paid on completion |
| Cash only | No Section 75 or chargeback route | Ask to pay by card |
| Deposit not written on the contract | Traders must state deposits before you are bound (CCR Sch 2 item u) | Get the amount and terms in writing |
| No deposit insurer named | You cannot check that a policy exists | Get the insurer's name and written confirmation of cover |
Questions people ask
Is my double glazing deposit protected?
Your double glazing deposit is protected when you paid at least part of it by credit card (Section 75) or hold written confirmation of deposit protection insurance. Trade body membership alone does not protect it.
Should I pay a deposit for double glazing?
Yes, a deposit is normal because the windows are made to measure. Keep it to 25% or less of the contract price, as Citizens Advice recommends, and pay by credit card where you can.
Is a 40% or 50% deposit normal for double glazing?
No, a 40% or 50% deposit is above the 25% ceiling that Citizens Advice recommends. The Glass and Glazing Federation put the average at about 20% in 2020. Ask for a smaller deposit with the balance paid on completion.
Should I pay a deposit before the survey?
No, pay nothing until you hold a written contract that states the deposit. Traders must tell you about any deposit before you are bound, under Schedule 2 of the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.
Does paying the deposit by credit card protect the whole job?
Yes. Which? confirms that paying part of the cost by credit card still counts for Section 75, provided the cash price is over £100 and no more than £30,000.
Can I get my deposit back if I cancel?
If you sign at home, you usually have at least 14 days to cancel, but made-to-measure windows can be an exception, so check the contract before you sign. Our guide to the double glazing cooling off period explains the rules.
