In France having your chimney cleaned once a year is often a requirement to comply with your insurance. It’s a great way to ensure chimneys are maintained and chimney sweeps get a good steady income. It also means that chimney sweeps are not hard to find, as nearly everyone has an open fire or wood burner. We tend to use the same company though, as they have always been very reliable, and it’s easy to book him via their website. I must say that they are also awfully clean, and always vacuum everything up afterwards.
Once the job is complete they email you with a certificate, detailing the condition of your chimney, and what work was needed to clean it properly. You just keep this certificate in case of need.