FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY DO I NEED MY CHIMNEY SWEPT?
As you are intending to call out a chimney sweep, then your primary concern is probably safety. A clean chimney allows the gases and particles from a fire to escape your home quickly. But safety isn’t the only benefit of getting your chimney cleaned regularly. It’s also important to remember that a clean chimney allows a fire to burn more efficiently, saving you money on fuel and helping to reduce your carbon footprint. In addition, good chimney maintenance, including regular sweeping, is often a stipulation of stove warranties, and it may also be required by your home insurance — check with your provider for more information.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I GET MY CHIMNEY SWEPT?
HETAS encourage having your chimney swept at least twice a year when burning wood or bituminous house coal and at least once a year when burning smokeless fuels. The best times to have your chimney swept are just before the start of the heating season and after your stove has not been used over a prolonged period.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE CHIMNEY SWEEP VISIT?
The primary objective of the chimney sweep is to clear soot, as well as any other debris and blockages, that may be in the chimney. This can be done using traditional brushes, however we also have modern technology to help us out — such as rotary power equipment. The chimney sweep will place a protective cloth over the area around the fire to help keep the floor clean. We also temporarily seal the chimney to prevent debris and soot from entering the room. On completion, the sweep will clean up the area, including hoovering the floor. So all that’s left when they leave is the faint smell of soot. Before the sweep arrives, please ensure your chimney and log burner are cold. If the sweep is unable to work on the appliance due to the heat, you will still be charged for the call-out, but the chimney will not be cleaned.
WHY SHOULD I USE A GUILD REGISTERED CHIMNEY SWEEP?
Guild sweeps undertake an extensive training and assessment process. Training is based around the most comprehensive training manual of its kind in the UK. Guild membership requires members to be insured for chimney sweeping and equipped to deal with all standard job situations. As the Guild is owned equally by all its members it can act like a co-operative, sharing information and solving customer problems. In the unlikely event that your Guild sweep is unable to help you, they should be able to recommend someone who can.
BUSINESS PRIVACY POLICY
RJL Chimneys Ltd Privacy Policy
Our contact details
Name: RJL Chimneys Ltd
Address: Lealands, Newton Blossomville, Bedford. MK43 8AL
Phone Number: 07599 801405
E-mail: info@rjlchimneys.co.uk
The type of personal information we collect
We currently collect and process the following information:
Personal identifiers, contacts and characteristics (for example, name and contact details)
How we get the personal information and why we have it
Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for one of the following reasons:
To provide contact details for the purposes of chimney sweep appointments.
We use the information that you have given us in order to make a booking, send out relevant inspection documents & company updates.
Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:
(a) Your consent. You are able to remove your consent at any time. You can do this by contacting info@rjlchimneys.co.uk
(b) We have a contractual obligation. (c) We have a legal obligation.(d) We have a vital interest.(e) We need it to perform a public task. (f) We have a legitimate interest.
How we store your personal information
Your information is securely stored.
We keep name, address, email & contact number for 5 years. We will then dispose your information by automated deletion.
Your data protection rights
Under data protection law, you have rights including:
Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.
Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
Your right to object to processing - You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.
You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.
Please contact us at info@rjlchimneys.co.uk if you wish to make a request.
How to complain
If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at RJL Chimneys Ltd. You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.
The ICO’s address:
Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF
Helpline number: 0303 123 1113 ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk
Tell people how to make a complaint to you here. Include the ICO’s address.
Date: 19/02/2023