Bird in Chimney - Tenant freaking out!

time2deal

I did call RSPCA, Council and tried to call the RSPCB. RSPCA and Council both said to call the fire brigade. The tenant was being a bit silly about it - he called me then texted 5 times in 2 minutes increasingly in a panic! I am a 'fixer' type person and was trying to do what I could to help.

When I called the fire brigade (at the firehouse, not the emergency line) I said I was just asking for advice, and said a number of times it wasn't an emergency and just wanted their advice. They were very keen to send someone. To be fair I also pay tax and council tax, so using the service when advised isn't the craziest thing in the world. They showed up 5 minutes later, and were there for about 1 minute. If they charge me I'll pay.

As I said I have advised him to do as suggested. He isn't keen on trying to reach up to open the grate as it's dirty! I'm trying to be a good landlord here for an otherwise good tenant. Either way I'll find a way to resolve it tomorrow.

ska_lover

I bet the lads back at the fire station are laughing their heads off

lighting_up_the_chalice

G_M wrote: »

What? Training how to remove birds from chimneys?

And from what the OP says the training doesn't seem to be working as the bird's still there.

More training obviously needed so I'm off to catch a bird and stuff it up my chimney......

I was thinking more along the lines of general readiness, ladder deployment, that kind of thing. Got to better than playing pool in the crew room. However, it seems your tax £££ are in safe hands as they do charge after all.

Annie1960

time2deal wrote: »

I did call RSPCA, Council and tried to call the RSPCB. RSPCA and Council both said to call the fire brigade. The tenant was being a bit silly about it - he called me then texted 5 times in 2 minutes increasingly in a panic! I am a 'fixer' type person and was trying to do what I could to help.

When I called the fire brigade (at the firehouse, not the emergency line) I said I was just asking for advice, and said a number of times it wasn't an emergency and just wanted their advice. They were very keen to send someone. To be fair I also pay tax and council tax, so using the service when advised isn't the craziest thing in the world. They showed up 5 minutes later, and were there for about 1 minute. If they charge me I'll pay.

As I said I have advised him to do as suggested. He isn't keen on trying to reach up to open the grate as it's dirty! I'm trying to be a good landlord here for an otherwise good tenant. Either way I'll find a way to resolve it tomorrow.

If they planned to charge you, I really think they should have said this before they came out, so you had a chance to make an informed decision whether or not to proceed. It's a bit much if a bill just arrives out of the blue.

time2deal

I will let you know the outcome! I wonder if they sent a whole engine - they'd struggle to get it into the street it's so narrow.

Soot2006

Some years ago I called in a similar fashion to ask for advice, non-emergency ... about a cat stuck on my roof. Had gone out of a roof window and then refused to come back in. Sat on the roof screaming so after some hours I asked for advice. They laughed and sent out some young lads with a ladder who were happy to climb onto the roof. I was not charged for anything. Chatting to them afterwards they said that in situations where there is no emergency but where there might be a risk of someone putting themselves into danger (e.g. someone climbing out onto the roof to retrieve cat or someone getting stuck in a chimney to retrieve bird I guess!) then they'd rather come out when they can.

time2deal

Next time I will just say it's not my problem! Must learn to say no to people...

time2deal

I've just checked - the fire station is less than 500m from the flat. Maybe they walked!!

suki1964

Services and information for which the Authority is entitled to recover a fee

The LFB has the discretion to charge for some services by virtue of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (as amended by the Localism Act 2011). It is agreed Authority policy to charge for certain special services as follows:

Use of Authority equipment to supply or remove water.
Clearing of flooded commercial premises.
Making structures safe where there is no risk of personal injury to the public.
Any special service which is classified as ‘miscellaneous’.
Incidents involving chemicals/hazardous materials occurring other than in domestic locations.
Releasing people from lifts or effecting entry to a lift at non-emergency incidents.
There are a number exemptions to charging. For example, no charges are made at any type of incident while there remains any risk of fire, or a risk to life. The charge rate is £260 an hour per appliance attending (as from 1 April 2011).

LFB policy (from 1 November 2009) for releasing people from lifts is to charge lift owners or operators on the third lift release at the same building within a twelve month period. See reducing lift calls for more information.

The Authority is also able to charge for the provision of information and this document sets out where a charge is levied and the current charge (at 1 September 2012); charges are reviewed annually and normally from 1 April.

makeyourdaddyproud

tom9980 wrote: »

Happens a few times a year at MiL house, close the door, open the windows. Open up the chinmey at the bottom as much as possible, hopefully is goes out the top or falls down and flies out.

Really you should stop them falling in the chimney top in future.

This is NOT an emergency so do not bother the services.

The only way you can do that is install a cowl, and that costs money. Soon enough the flapping will stop.