‘Due to an unacceptable conflict of interest, the Guild board has taken the difficult decision to remove HETAS Ltd from their trade exhibition.
The Guild believes that the actions and objections of HETAS during the recent Chimney Occupations National Occupational Standards (NOS) review are significantly out of step with the wider industry. The Guild conclude HETAS policies towards chimney sweeping are now at odds with the aims and ethos of the professional chimney sweeping industry and their presence at the trade exhibition is not tenable. The NOS review has concluded, and ALL of the new standards are approved by the regulator and signed off by the four UK nations.
In addition, the introduction of the HETAS ‘Direct Route’ to their ‘Approved Chimney Sweep’ scheme by-passes traditional association training for new registrants. The Guild believes this Direct Route scheme is introducing people who do not generally have the same knowledge and skill set as those coming through the association training route of the Guild and others, and no longer complements our efforts to raise standards.
We would stress that the Guild has no issue whatever with any member or sweep or individual or businesses who choose to register themselves on any of the HETAS registers.
In addition, the Guild also stress there is no issue whatever with third parties who organise, host or deliver Hetas courses.
We apologise for any inconvenience this decision may cause.’
We are unanimously supported in the decision by the members of the Federation of British Chimney Sweeps, representing over 80% of professionally registered chimney sweeps.
