Chimney Sweeps

I have used Chimney Sweeps every year since 1997, I saw a not so great review on Yelp and totally disagree. It was stated that Chimney Sweeps calls their customers too much. That isn't so. They call once a year to see if I'm ready for my safety inspection and cleaning, which I always am. Thanks to their professionalism and courtesy I will always remain a loyal customer!

Review: My fireplace had a pair of doors. One of the glass panels broke in one of the doors. This rectangular piece of glass would surely have been reasonably inexpensive to replace.

The two representatives of Chimney Sweeps Inc who were here advised me that I didn't need the doors, so I should just throw them away.

This turns out to have been bad advice. I have now been without the use of this fireplace for over a year because using it fills the house with smoke.

They offer as an solution that they should install a smoke guard. This is because it would now be prohibitively expensive to fashion replacement doors.

I agreed that they should visit my house, inspect my chimneys and that they should discuss the cost of fitting a smoke guard, despite this having been necessitated by their bad advice in the first place.

They visited my house, but my wife was here and I was not. They charged us for the inspection, but didn't bother to discuss the smoke guard. So now it seems I need to have them come out *again* so they can discuss the smoke guard.

Too many instances of bad advice and failed promises.Desired Settlement: Over a year since their disastrous visit, I am unable to use my fireplace. I believe I could have replaced the glass that had broken in my fireplace for $10 or so. Chimney Sweeps Inc should make my fireplace serviceable for whatever replacing the glass in my fireplace doors would have cost — perhaps $50 or $100, including labor.

Business

Response:

Dear Mr. [redacted];

I certainly am sorry that you felt the need to go through the Revdex.com to resolve this especially since we have been in touch several times by phone recently and I informed you that we were going to install the smoke guard at no additional cost to you. I'm sorry that the glass doors were thrown out unfortunately glass replacement is not something we have any expertise in and I have never heard of anyone replacing the glass pains themselves only replacing the entire glass door unit so I can not speak to whether it is possible or to what cost something of that nature would be.

At this point I can only say what I said when we talked a few days ago and that is that were addressing this smoking issue at no additional cost to you and I have high hopes that the smoke guard will resolve the issue. As every chimney is different in design and makeup sometimes unforeseen issues arise. It is true that the chimney was not designed to need glass doors and the fact that it started smoking when they were removed is an original design or construction malfunction not an error in judgment on our part. [redacted]ver we are taking responsibility for it and installing the smoke guard and no cost to you. I hope you are satisfied with the results, I can assure you we will do whatever is in our power to ensure you are.

Best Wishes,

Chimney Sweeps, Inc

Consumer

Response:

I had contacted the Revdex.com after I organized for a representative of the company to inspect the chimney and propose a solution. The representative came, inspected the chimney, but proposed no solution (I was not here at the time; the representative spoke with my wife). Thus, it appeared that the business was ignoring my problem after telling me that they would fix it.

Since I submitted the complaint, the business has proposed what appears to be a satisfactory response. I consider the matter closed unless the solution proves unsatisfactory.

Regards,

I don't normally trust people I don't know coming into my home but these guys were kind, professional and courteous. I would recommend them to everyone.

My experience with chimney sweeps inc was both pleasurable and informative I highly recommend this service to all San Diegans.

Review: Chimney Sweeps Inc called my home twice within one hour. I asked the first person, named [redacted], if he is selling anything and he said no. I asked him if he observes the National Do Not Call list, he said he doesn't have to do so. The next call I received about 45 minutes later was from [redacted] at the same company. Two different phone numbers were used: [redacted] and [redacted], both caller IDs were "Chimney Sweeps". [redacted] said she was with Chimney Sweeps Inc. [redacted] said they would be in my area doing an inspection and wanted to schedule an inspection with me. As part of their 'Fall Special' an inspection would be only $49 and a cleaning would be only $99. At this point I asked why she was calling me with a solicitation since I am on the Do Not Call list. She said she was sorry and would take me off their call list. There was certainly no explanation that my number was from a prior customer or a mistake or anything else as a previous answer to a complain implies. After asking for the company information where I could reach someone with a complaint, [redacted] hung up on me.

At this point I looked up Chimney Sweep Inc online and called their listed number: [redacted]. I called an reached someone named [redacted]. I asked if she was in charge or if they had a legal department. She said no, they don't have a legal department. I asked her who I should speak with or a name to which I should have legal document addressed. She said, "You will have to figure that out for yourself." I told her that her company was ignoring the do not call list, she said they have AT&T scrub the list before they receive it. I told her it was clear they were breaking the law and I'd like to know to whom I should address my complaints or legal documents. She said I'd have to figure that out myself and hung up on me.Desired Settlement: I would like to see the Chimney Sweeps Inc take one of two actions:

1. Pay the $500 fine associated with a second solicitation call to a person on the Do Not Call list.

2. Provide a detailed and honest explanation of their marketing practices and how they will change to better honor people's privacy. Details required to make this acceptable include: A. How they are interacting with AT&T and if they are truly to blame. B. How they condone employees saying they don't need to follow the DNC list. C. What actions they will take in the future to respect people's privacy. D. Acknowledgement that they made incorrect actions in this case.

Business

Response:

To Whom it May Concern;

The complaint is noted and Chimney Sweeps, Inc appreciates the customer bringing the matter to our attention. We have no desire to ever violate a persons privacy and matters regarding the "Do Not Call" list are taken very seriously by everyone at Chimney Sweeps, Inc. The lists that we call are guaranteed to be (at the time of the printing) completely scrubbed against the Do Not Call list and are freshly printed regularly. When we run into a name or number that should not be on the list we not only remove it immediately but also contact our list provider on the persons behalf to ensure that further printings do not include that person again and there privacy does not become infringed upon again.

We are a company of people and people are not perfect so mistakes do get made. However we personally guarantee that the individuals listed in the complaint who are employed by our company have either being corrected and reprimanded or their employment terminated. We have reissued company policy on this matter to ALL employees so that complete understanding can be achieved by everyone in our employ and things like this don't happen ever again.

We extend our sincerest apologies to the complainant and thank him for bringing this matter to our attention so that it could be swiftly and correctly handled.

Best Wishes for a happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

Chimney Sweeps, Inc

Executives and Crew.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted] and find this resolution satisfactory.

While there was an error made and it is impossible to know the frequency of such errors, I feel Chimney Sweeps Inc was very sincere in their efforts to fix it. I appreciate their open response and their stated efforts to improve.

Regards,

They cleaned my chimney 4 years ago and the service was good. The problem that I have is the fact that this company has continued to contact me, and now harass me about cleaning my chimney after I have repeatedly requested not to be contacted. The year after my service I asked to not be contacted again. Still every year they call, not just once but over and over. Every year I ask to be taken off the list, still I get called. So once a again this year the hounding phone calls have come in. I am writing this review after just hanging up with a very pushy sales/appointment person who in my opinion was beyond unprofessional. In summary today's experience, I answered the phone call after the caller id announced it was a private caller (usually the company name comes across). When the rep asked to schedule an appointment, I once again decline the service. I politely told him that I have the correct equipment now and clean the chimney myself and don't need their services. The caller informs me that its not about the cleaning but the "required inspection". I inform the caller that I've had a wood burning stove for 20+ years and have never heard of this. I acknowledge that there might be some "code or requirement" that is cited but honestly, since my insurance company doesn't require it nor do any of my firefighter friends bug me about this, it is not something that I'm going to pay for. At this time the sales guy berates me for not getting an "Inspection". I politely tell him no and try to get off the phone with him by telling him I can not afford it. At this point the caller asks me if I know how to inspect a chimney and I am capable of making a visual inspection. He proceeds to tell me I should work for him because at least I would make enough to pay him to "inspect" my chimney. I'm starting to get a little annoyed at this point and express my opinions on the unprofessional way the caller was treating me, a couple of other thing were said and the caller proceeded to hang up. I am thoroughly disgusted in the way this company has proceeded to contact me, even after being requested to stop however, today's experience was completely unacceptable. I would never do business with this company again!

I received their $99 service. The guys were very professional, arrived on time, and did not try to sell me a service I did not need.

Review: I received another business soliciting call this evening during dinner time from this company. First of all, I do not have a chimney/fireplace. But most importantly, my phone number is filed with the DO NOT CALL REGISTRY. The last I heard only legitimate charitable organizations are not governed by this registry, nor are political calls. Why this company has my number, I do not know. Either way, they should not be soliciting business this way, especially to people who are on file with the DO NOT CALL REGISTRY and during dinner time.Desired Settlement: I posted a message on their Facebook page but doubt I will receive a response as it has already been moved to an area where it's not readily noticeable. I don't know if the Revdex.com even handles issues like this. But if something can be done to prevent solicitor phone calls, that would be great. It's just like a telemarketer call as far as I am concerned. Thank you.

Business

Response:

Note: This response is for the Revdex.com only and is not sent as a response to be published to the complainant or on our Revdex.com page.

Dear Sir or Madam;

Thank you for sending this complaint to me I did read and understand it, the complainant does not note what there desired resolution is so I do not know how to proceed, further I don't understand why a complaint of this nature deserves merit on this forum.

I can say however that we do not wish to contact any person whom does not wish to hear from us, we have all our lists scrubbed against the "do not call" lists though these lists are not perfect and mistakes can be made not just by the list provider but my employees dialing the phones. We have been in business since 85 and throughout that time our customers have changed their numbers and other people have picked up those numbers, houses we have serviced have been sold etc etc (not just those with chimneys as we do extensive duct work as well which all homes have) so keeping up with over 40,000 people in our customer base is not always the easiest task but I can assure you that ANYONE who wishes to be off our lists and tells us so is immediately removed and NEVER contacted again. Further there are many chimney sweep companies in San Diego and several in El Cajon alone, these companies all do out bound calls and it is very common for the same person to be called but other companies as many of us work from similar lists.

Please remove this complaint from our file as there is no requested solution and it certainly wasn't us who contacted this person more than once after asking off our lists, further this person has been removed from any list we have and will not be contacted again (at least not by our company).

Best Wishes,

Chimney Sweeps, Inc

It's been a while since I had my chimney cleaned, and the service that chimney sweeps inc provided was fast, efficient and professional! I definitely recommend hiring this company!