no one being, joe and josephina bloggs. The last time it was swept, probably 10 years ago, it cost 40 quid, and the bag of coal was 12 quid for a hundredweight, it had to go.
Too much bother. I have central heating over the whole house and a gas fire in the lounge for back-up. A man comes in once a year to check that it is all working properly - doesn't cost me anything the gas and electric people do it free because I am old etc. I think it would be in the region of £50 if I had to pay. However, I saw a chimney sweep advertisement in the local (free) paper so I assume there are still coal and wood fires about. Sorry about the (free), I couldn't resist it. Free is my favourite price.
we all had open fires, long before the days of central heating, and it doesn't stop some from keeping their open fire places, but not sure where the coal man is these days, probably long retired. You can buy smokeless coal.
I sweep my chimneys myself ( it's really not hard or skilled and I'm a bloke), usually at the beginning of winter and sometimes again if the need arises. Just spoke to my daughter who lives in Germany some of the time and apparently there you can't sweep your own chimney, you have a state certified chimney sweep that comes 4 times a year and cleans your chimney and inspects it to make sure it's safe. Lol. Only the Germans...