Terms of Service.

1. Who we are

Black Diamond Chimney Sweep ("Black Diamond", "we", "us", "our") is a sole-trader business operated by Christoff Berlage, registered for self-assessment in the United Kingdom, providing chimney sweeping, CCTV chimney inspection, stove servicing and related advice across Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, County Durham, Northumberland and the Tees Valley.

Contact details:

• Email: christoff@blackdiamond-sweep.co.uk
• Phone / WhatsApp: 07398 705 879

We are HETAS-registered and carry public liability and product liability insurance underwritten by a UK authorised insurer. Proof of cover is available on request.

2. The agreement between us

When you book a sweep or other service, you are entering into a contract with us under these terms. The contract is formed when we confirm your booking — in writing (email, SMS, WhatsApp) or by accepting a job by phone. If you book via our online calendar, the contract is formed when you receive an automated booking confirmation.

If anything in these terms is unclear, ask us before the work begins. Once work has started you are deemed to have accepted these terms in full.

3. What our services include

Each service we provide has a defined scope. Unless specifically agreed otherwise, our work includes only what is described below for the service you have booked.

Chimney sweep covers: dust-sheeting the work area, a power sweep of the flue using rotary brushes, vacuum extraction of soot and debris, a smoke evacuation test, and issue of a written sweep certificate confirming that the chimney was swept on the date in question.

CCTV inspection covers: a full-length HD camera survey of the flue, recorded footage given to you on request, and a written condition report identifying any visible defects.

Stove service covers: full strip-down inspection of the stove, replacement of consumable parts (rope seals, fire bricks, baffle plates, glass gaskets) where supplied and agreed in advance, and a written service record.

We will not carry out structural repairs, brickwork, re-lining of a chimney, installation or removal of an appliance, gas work, or anything requiring a Gas Safe registration. Where such work is identified as necessary we will flag it and, where possible, recommend a qualified contractor; engaging that contractor is your responsibility, not ours.

4. Quotations & prices

Indicative prices are shown on our website. The price quoted at the time of booking is based on the information you give us about your fire, chimney and property. If on arrival the actual job differs materially — for example a second flue not previously declared, a heavily neglected chimney requiring an extended sweep, or an inaccessible roof requiring special equipment — we will explain the additional cost before proceeding, and you may choose to accept, cancel, or reduce scope. We will never carry out chargeable extra work without first agreeing the cost with you.

All quoted prices are inclusive of any VAT due. We will provide a written invoice or receipt on request.

5. Booking, cancellation & rescheduling

To make our scheduling fair to everyone, the following rules apply:

• Free cancellation if you cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before your booked slot.
• £25 fee for cancellations made less than 24 hours but more than 2 hours before the slot, to cover lost scheduling.
• Full visit fee charged for "no access" appointments — where we attend at the agreed time and cannot gain entry, or where the work cannot proceed because the customer has not prepared as agreed (see section 6).
• £25 fee for "no shows" — where you do not present, do not answer the door, and have not given us prior notice.

We reserve the right to reschedule appointments in cases of severe weather, mechanical breakdown, illness, or any other event beyond our control (see section 11). We will give you as much notice as we can and offer the next available slot.

6. Your responsibilities before we arrive

To deliver a good sweep we need your help. Before our arrival you must:

• Allow the appliance to cool for at least 24 hours. A hot stove or warm chimney is unsafe to sweep and we will refuse the work, charging a no-access fee.
• Clear the hearth of logs, kindling, decorative items, fire-irons, fenders, rugs and anything else within one metre of the fireplace.
• Remove valuables, ornaments and breakables from the mantelpiece and the immediate work area. We dust-sheet generously but we are not responsible for breakage of items that should have been moved.
• Provide reasonable access to the property and to the appliance. If parking is restricted, let us know in advance.
• Restrain or remove pets from the work area for the duration of the visit. We love dogs and cats but soot-extraction equipment is loud and a startled pet can cause an accident.
• Inform us of any known defects in the chimney, flue, liner, or appliance — cracks, leaks, recent storm damage, prior chimney fires, missing pots or cowls, structural movement, or any work previously carried out. See section 8.
• Inform us if anyone in the property has a respiratory condition — we will adapt our extraction approach accordingly.

7. Right to refuse or stop work

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to refuse to commence or to stop a job if we judge it unsafe or inappropriate to continue. This includes (but is not limited to):

• The appliance or chimney is still warm
• The chimney shows signs of imminent failure (active leakage of fumes, missing flue components, severe structural cracking, evidence of recent chimney fire)
• The roof is unsafe to access where roof work is required
• Asbestos is suspected in or around the appliance, flue, or hearth
• A bird's nest occupies the flue during nesting season — under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 we cannot remove an active nest until chicks have fledged
• The customer becomes abusive, threatening, or impedes the safe carrying out of work

If we refuse to start a job for any of the safety reasons above, no fee is charged. If we stop work part-way through for a safety reason discovered on site, we will charge for time spent at our hourly rate (£60 per hour, minimum 1 hour) and a written explanation will be provided.

8. Pre-existing condition & the limits of a sweep certificate

This is the most important section of these terms. Please read it carefully.

A chimney sweep certificate confirms that the chimney was swept on the date stated, and that at the time of sweeping no obvious defects prevented the chimney from being swept. It is not a warranty of fitness, safety, or longevity. A chimney that passes a sweep on one day may develop a fault — structural cracking, liner failure, pot or flaunching damage — the next week, through no fault of the sweep.

By booking a sweep with us you agree that:

• You will disclose any known defect, prior chimney fire, recent storm damage, structural alteration, or other relevant history at or before the time of booking.
• We are entitled to rely on the information you give us. If you withhold or misrepresent material information about the chimney or appliance, you are responsible for any consequences arising from that, including the cost of remedial work.
• If, on inspection, we observe a defect, we will tell you about it and (where you wish) document it with photographs in the service record. From the moment that defect has been pointed out to you, ongoing use of the appliance is at your own risk, and not our responsibility.
• We carry out a sweep, not a structural survey. CCTV inspection (a separate service) provides a more thorough condition assessment but still cannot detect hidden defects within masonry or behind plaster.

If you are concerned about the structural integrity of a chimney, ask us about a CCTV inspection before sweeping — or instruct a chartered surveyor or competent chimney engineer for a full structural assessment.

9. Photographs & records

We routinely take photographs during our work for record-keeping and condition-reporting purposes. These photos are stored against your service record. We may, with your separate explicit consent, use anonymised photos in our marketing materials — you will be asked before any photograph is used publicly.

We do not photograph the inside of your home except where the photograph is directly relevant to the appliance, hearth, or chimney being worked on.

If you do not want any photography on the visit, tell us before the work begins and we will accommodate that request — though we may then disclaim some aspects of our condition-reporting service that depend on photographic evidence.

10. Payment

Payment is due on completion of the work, by cash, bank transfer or card (where a terminal is available). Bank transfer details and invoices are provided on request.

If payment is not received within 14 days of completion we reserve the right to charge interest at 4% above the Bank of England base rate, compounding daily, until paid in full, and to recover reasonable collection costs.

11. Force majeure

We will not be liable for any delay or failure to perform our services where this is caused by events beyond our reasonable control. This includes (but is not limited to) severe weather, road closures, power outages, illness, vehicle breakdown, and any government, regulatory, or public health restriction. Where a force majeure event affects your appointment we will reschedule to the next available slot at no extra cost to you.

12. Limitation of liability

Nothing in these terms limits or excludes our liability for:

• Death or personal injury caused by our negligence
• Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation
• Any other liability that cannot be limited or excluded under UK law (in particular, your statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 are not affected)

Subject to the above, our total aggregate liability to you in respect of any claim arising from or in connection with our services, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, is limited to the greater of (a) the price paid by you for the specific job giving rise to the claim, or (b) the amount actually recoverable under our public liability insurance policy in respect of that claim.

We will not be liable for:

• Pre-existing damage to the chimney, fireplace, hearth or appliance not caused by us
• Cosmetic marking of surfaces that were not adequately cleared by the customer (see section 6)
• Loss of use of the appliance during the period between sweep and any subsequent repair
• Loss of profit, loss of business, loss of contracts, or any indirect, special or consequential loss
• Damage arising from continued use of an appliance or chimney after we have advised against such use
• Damage arising from the customer's failure to disclose a known defect (see section 8)

This section reflects a fair allocation of risk between us and you, given the nature of the services and the prices charged.

13. Complaints

If something is wrong, tell us first. We want to know. Email christoff@blackdiamond-sweep.co.uk or phone 07398 705 879 with a clear description of the issue, the date of work, and any supporting photographs.

We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and respond substantively within 14 days. We are committed to putting genuine errors right at our own cost. Where the matter relates to our HETAS registration, the HETAS scheme provides an independent escalation route at hetas.co.uk.

14. Use of this website

This website (blackdiamond-sweep.co.uk) is provided for general information and to allow online booking. Its content is offered in good faith but is not professional advice in respect of any specific chimney or property. You must not:

• Use the site in a way that disrupts it, or attempts to gain unauthorised access
• Submit booking enquiries that are not genuine, or in someone else's name without their authority
• Copy, mirror, scrape, or republish the site's content in bulk without our prior written permission

All content, images, text and design on this site are the intellectual property of Black Diamond Chimney Sweep, except where credited to a third party. Individual articles may be quoted with attribution; the site as a whole may not be copied.

15. Privacy

How we handle the personal data you give us is set out in our Privacy Policy, which forms part of these terms.

16. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The current version is always the one published on this page. For an existing booking, the terms that apply are those in force at the time the booking was made, except where a change is required by law.

17. Governing law & jurisdiction

These terms, and any contract or claim arising out of or in connection with them, are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Both parties agree to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales for the resolution of any dispute.

18. Severability

If any part of these terms is found by a court to be unenforceable, the remainder will continue in full force.

19. Contact & questions

If anything in these terms is unclear, or if you'd like to discuss a specific situation before booking, please get in touch:

• Email: christoff@blackdiamond-sweep.co.uk
• Phone or WhatsApp: 07398 705 879