Like pellet stoves, they burn more efficiently so cleaner as they combust the creosotes. Obviously smoking requires less than effecient combustion. Yes a lot of pollution I would expect, no newspaper brave enough to go into that rabbit hole but they do have a go at those using it for essential heating.
Beware that if you have a house fire and have not declared that you have a solid fuel burning appliance or have one but havent had the flue certified annually, there could be trouble, Logically this should bot apply to flues placed in a brick chimney but logic may not be applied by a stingy asurance underwriter.
Where does it say you have to have a chimney certified each year? You have to clean it, thats a minimum but should be cleaned more frequently if used heavily especially overnight burns.
Itās a local law in many places that the chimney is professionally swept at least once a year and the sweep must issue a certificate.
This old chesnut has been doing the rounds since we bought. Its a law? You mean you could find yourself in court for non compliance?
I sweep my own chimney, I view the flue with my camera to check for issues. When I asked my insurance company they said that was fine.
If its a law then it will be in the statute books?
It was updated last year
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Thanks Mark, good to know. I will continue to sweep mine for a while and its actually the 1st job on my list on arriving this month.
Yes, useful to know - sort of glad I didnāt set a fire at the last visit as Iād have been in contravention (though I wonder how this will be policed). I was a bit too busy pulling dead birds from the fireplace 
So how much are people being charged for a sweep?
Same as all the swimming pool test I suspect (i.e. not at all) although its a new toy so maybe a bit more to start with.
I will probably break the law for a while yet.
I bet any fine is less than 2 years sweeping cost. As an engineer this is just ridiculous. Fine for accountancy types who wouldnt have a clue.
We pay 95ā¬ per sweep, this includes full camera check of the flue/liner, a thorough sweep, clean and stove inspection. If all compliant a certificate is issued which all satisfies the new regulations.
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Thanks Peter, glad they camera inspect as well. What put me off BILās was the 25 mins visit and the ā¬135 bill and no camera inspection. Not too mention the bloke was lazy and rude.
Our previous chimney sweep didnāt use a camera. He came gave a quick sweep, issued certificate and was all done in less than 15 mins cost 85ā¬. Thats why we changed.
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I do mention this from time to timeā¦ as it bears repeating for those who might not already know itā¦
If there is a House-Fire and āInsuranceā is involved. in the enquiriesā¦ the certificate will be asked forā¦ possibly along with the invoice/details of who fitted the woodburner/whateverā¦
failure to satisfy the enquiry that all was exactly as it should beā¦ just before the fire happenedā¦ can cause difficulties/wrangles when one expects the damage to be covered financially by said Insuranceā¦
Exactly, new law will be policed by the insurance companies.
Like driving a car without insurance, ok till you are asked to produce documents.
No use telling the loss adjuster that your invioce got destroyed in the house fire as the chimney sweep will have a copy!
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Fitted it, built the chimney, lined it clean it. But yes begrudgingly will have to get a man in to give a ticket. A lot safer than it was when we bought the place with an open fire and roof timbers penetrating into the chimney 
.
Interestingly I see from Marks link it doesnt apply to open fires, you cant make this crap any worse.
Usually about ā¬60-70
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Open fires will still be covered by local f chimney legislation at the very leastā¦ . also in many areas, I believe open fires are already banned completelyā¦
Safety as well as air-quality is getting more and more strictly controlled.
Yes I understand that, because with people migrating into office work they need someone to assemble flat pack furniture, change a plug but I do all that is necessary safety wise as its my house. I rebuilt the place. Perfectly capable of sweeping the chimney and spotting if there is something wrong.