Knouterer wrote:Since 2013 people are in principle free to choose their chimney sweep and negotiate prices, but in practice it doesn't make much difference I believe.
In Austria since March 2015.
https://diepresse.com/home/wirtschaft/e ... fangkehrer
And you´re right, opening the possibility to choose didn´t make any difference. Foreign chimney sweeper are never seen here, but our locla one reguly twice a year.
Knouterer wrote: What people object to is all this obligatory but unnecessary cleaning. Even if you heat your house with oïl or gas, which produces no soot to speak of, the chimney sweep will come by twice a year to "clean" and present a nice bill.
He/she might try to clean but when the house owner says there is nothing to clean because I changed the heating system they will leave without cleaning and without a nice bill. Happened at my parents last year. They don´t have any right to enter your possession and to do a fake work to present a bill. Call the cops then when it´s otherwise. Or their guild. And I assure you it will stop immedialy!
Knouterer wrote: More often if you burn solid fuel. And I've heard of cases were a fireplace was bricked up but the chimney sweep insisted there should be an opening in the wall somewhere so he could get at the chimney and clean it. Again and again.
Read and follow the above.