Terms & Conditions

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

We deliver to all parts of the UK.  We normally send out our goods within 3-5 days of the order being processed.  If you are outside England or Wales you may have to pay an additional fee to have the goods delivered.  We will advise on this when the order is processed, or you can call us prior to ordering.  Please allow up to 28 days for delivery in the unlikely event that we are out of stock of the goods ordered.  The products will be dispatched as soon as our suppliers re-stock.  Your statutory rights will not be affected.

CARE OF GOODS

Some cast iron fireplaces (and components) are supplied un-lacquered due to their exposure to the heat, and finish.  For this reason, it is the customer’s responsibility to maintain Brass, Stainless Steel or Cast Iron, which will discolour if not polished or oiled at regular intervals after installation.  This applies only to some products and we are happy to advise wherever necessary.

CHIMNEYS AND FLUES

If we are lining the chimney we will issue the appropriate HETAS document and register both the lining of the chimney and the installation of the fireplace or stove with your local building authority through HETAS.  We are able to install the appropriate vents and gas runs as required.

Existing chimneys and flue can have unseen damage that will cause fires to smoke and for some fumes to enter the rooms.  The fitting of a cast iron fireplace to an existing flue is cosmetic only.  A fireplace is not a guarantee that such existing problems will be overcome.

It is the customer’s responsibility to have the chimney or flue swept and inspected for safety, together with ensuring that rooms meet any current ventilation requirements.  A list of local approved chimney sweeps can be found at The National Association of chimney Sweeps, these costs between £50 and £75.

http://www.nacs.org.uk

If we are fitting the fireplace ourselves, we will expect to see a genuine chimney certificate of sweeping.

CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS

We make every effort to ensure that the service we provide is as efficient as possible.  However, if you do have a complaint about a product or our service, then e-mail our customer services department as soon as possible at complaints@thecastironfireplacecompany.co.uk. Alternatively, you can write to us using the 'contact us' page.  We will acknowledge a complaint within 48 hours (please allow 64 hours over a public holiday).  We will endeavour to resolve the complaint as quickly as possible, keeping you informed at all times.

DELIVERY GUARANTEE

You can return the item to us within 7 days of receipt for a full refund.  Items must be in their original packaging.  Please contact us for our returns address.  Please send the request in writing (an email is sufficient) for our records letting us know why you are returning the goods, within the 7-day period.  The item is to be returned at the purchaser’s expense.  We will not cover the cost of this in the refund.  The item returned must be brand new and unused, as well as still in the original packaging.  The refund will not be granted without these conditions. All refunds will be made to the purchaser's debit or credit card.

DAMAGED GOODS

We ask that all customers check their order immediately upon delivery.  Please open the package carefully without the use of sharp objects . You have the opportunity to refuse delivery if the item is damaged, and it makes the return process easier if you do so at this stage.  We will then collect the damaged item and replace with an identical fireplace/product free of charge. 

Please Note: The damaged item 'must' be exchanged at the same time as the replacement item is delivered, otherwise we would need to charge for an additional collection.  Please therefore ensure that the damaged item is ready for collection on the swap, i.e. securely packaged and placed on the original pallet.

LIABILITY

The company’s liability to the customer shall at no time exceed the price of the goods purchased.  The company shall be under no liability for any direct loss and/or expense or any indirect loss and /or expense to the customer or liability to third parties incurred by the customer.  The company shall not be responsible for any loss or damage whether direct or indirect resulting from the supply of goods.

MATERIALS

Carrara marble, limestone, granite and slate are natural materials in its appearance and finish.  Natural products differ in finish and pattern due to each slab being cut from different sections of the ground.  The veining, fossilization, flex and tone vary between each piece and examples on the site are to be viewed as examples and are subject to variance in appearance and shape between 0.5% and 3%.  This is the same for antique fireplaces.

The images used on our website are purely examples of design and stone.  It would be impossible for them to represent the actual surround at the time of order.  The images are all taken with a flash and different computer screens will display the images differently.

CAST IRON ADVICE

Cast iron is cast using the traditional methods and has slight variances.  The thickness of the cast can vary, as can the detail’s positioning.  Like the antiques, cast iron fireplaces including the shelves are not 100% flat.  This is part of the character of cast iron fireplaces new and old.

Cast iron fireplaces, baskets and inserts are all supplied with protective oil.  Following the installation it may be necessary to apply another coat of protective oil.  This can be with either WD40 or linseed oil.  It is good practice that the same type of oil is applied regularly to avoid any rust from occurring, for example, full polish, and highlight finish.

A bi-product of burning solid fuel or gas is moisture.  This can occur when burning and/or when the fire is cooling down and as a result it is expected to see a certain amount of discolouration.

We do not advise the use of any water-based products to clean the surface as this will also lead to rust.

If you are planning to plaster the room following the installation then please ensure that you oil the fireplace afterwards to ensure that moisture evaporating from the plaster does not affect the fireplace.

Traditionally cast iron fireplaces and stoves were treated ‘each year’ by using a black graphite paste such as black grate polish to protect the product from rusting.  Each time the fire is used the protective coat will gradually burn away and this may lead to rusting if not treated regularly with the appropriate product/s.

PAYMENTS

The title and ownership of the goods shall not pass to the buyer until the goods are paid for in full.  Internet purchases will be processed and confirmed the next working day.  This is to allow us to confirm that the item is still in stock.  You will receive an email saying that we have your request and that we are processing your order.

PRICES

Prices of goods and services supplied as of this date are correct but are subject to market fluctuation and revision.  Any oversea’s order shall be charged to the buyer at current exchange rates.  The company has no control or liability over these rates.

PRIVACY POLICY

The Cast Iron Fireplace Company do not disclose buyers information to third parties, unless it is necessary for the delivery of products and services.  We will not pass on or sell to any third party your contact details used in the subscription to this website. This includes email, address, telephone numbers and names.

SUPPLIED ONLY

All fireplaces require installation by a HETAS (solid fuel) or Gas Safe engineer (gas fitting only).

Fireplaces must be installed in line with the current Section J Building Regulations.

The installation of fireplaces, hearths, flues, gas fires and stoves within the UK are governed by Building Regulations.  It is illegal to install your own fireplace and not have it certified by Building Control or a competent person who is HETAS registered.  Any installations carried out by your own contractor are at your own risk.  If we are fitting the fireplace, stove and lining system, we will sign off all the works as we are HETAS registered and Gas Safe registered.

Products are sold on the understanding that the customer is fully aware and accepts complete responsibility that the goods suit their requirements regarding specification and installation in all circumstances.

The content of this web site is the copyright of The Cast Iron Fireplace Company.co.uk Ltd. You must not copy, publish or distribute any material from this website, unless formal permission is obtained in writing from the copyright holder

A copy of these Terms and Conditions has been given to the Office of Fair Trading.

OUR FITTING POLICY

The director of the company is fully HETAS registered and this ensures a high level of knowledge through our company.  He believes in giving young people a trade, employing and training younger members of our society.  This ensures we have loyal staff who want to learn and serve our customers with an enthusiastic and professional attitude.

We train our own staff to be HETAS registered after a 2-year training period with us.  We send them to HETAS to be tested and certified after we are happy that they have a detailed understanding of Building Regulations for each section of the HETAS membership.

This means that the person installing your fireplace has the HETAS certification to install Stoves, Fireplaces, Twin Wall Flexible Liners and Insulated Twin Wall Systems as standard. Many of our longer employed fitters are registered to install Stoves with Back Boilers and line chimneys with the Eldfast Ceramic lining system.

All fitters' work is inspected by HETAS in line with the HETAS membership program.

Our fitters are all HETAS registered.  At least 1 person who is on site will be HETAS registered and will sign off the works to meet the requirements of Section J of building regulations.

All our fitters wear branded clothing, work solely for us, and do not work for other companies.

Once we have left the property this is the last opportunity for us to rectify any fitting, as after this the fireplace materials will start to set and the removal of the fireplace, stove or hearth will result in the item being damaged.  Installations are permanent.

When we install our fireplaces, stoves and lining systems, you must have someone present during the fitting process.  This is to allow us to talk over any aspects of the installation that affects the fitting.  For example, the flooring in the room may not be level, which is common. The flooring in houses is rarely level, so we have to fit the hearth to the floor, otherwise there would be a large gap at the bottom, front edge of the hearth.  If someone is not there the fitters will complete the installation using their professional judgment.

If your walls are not level there will be gaps on the sides of the fireplace, if these are small our fitters will attempt to fill them.  However it may be necessary for you to have your handyman fill these gaps after we have finished the installation.

If the corners of the chimneybreast are not level, they may give the appearance that the fireplace has not been centrally fitted.  In relation to this, not all builders' openings are in the middle of the chimneybreast, therefore the fireplace will not be central to the chimneybreast.

AFTER OUR INSTALLATIONS

STOVES - When your stove is first used, the oils that we use to clean the stove will be burnt off over the first few fires.  We would advise that you both ventilate the room by opening the windows and leave the room until the light amount of smoke clears.

If you have had any rendering works carried out to the builder’s opening or back hearth, leave for 7 days for the drying out process prior to using your stove.

1st fire – burn a small amount of kindling
2nd fire – 24 hours later, burn a large amount of kindling
3rd fire – this can be a normal fire

SOLID FUEL FIRES - Please leave for a minimum of 3 days before using your solid fuel open fire.

It is recommended that your chimney be regularly swept by a NACS chimney sweep twice per year, once at the very least.

GAS FIRES

Please leave a minimum of 3 days before using your gas fire.

It may seem obvious but we would kindly like to remind customers that you must not burn anything apart from gas through the burner on your gas fire, this includes paper, plastic, nutshells, etc

LINERS

Your chimney should be swept by an NACS sweep twice per year for the guarantee to be valid. Burning incorrect fuel will invalidate your guarantee. 
 
ECOFAN WARRANTY TERMS &CONDITIONS: FEB 2011

Ecofans are warranted to be free from any manufacturer’s defects in material and workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase. This warranty does not cover abnormal wear or damages resulting from accident, misuse, abuse or, if applicable, breakage (when such breakage is not due to a manufacturing defect) and any other incidental or consequential damages. Should this product become defective or fail to operate under normal conditions within this 1 year period, simply return the unit, together with a copy of the original invoice to Calfire Spareline Limited. Ecofan warranty is a ‘back to base warranty’ and the customer is responsible for the return postage costs. This warranty covers household use only and does not cover commercial or industrial use. This warranty is in lieu of any other expressed warranties. Once returned the unit will be assessed and tested and the results will be entered onto a ‘Warranty Inspection’ form. If warranty is accepted the unit will be repaired, re-tested and returned FOC to the UK customer.
 
CERAMIC LINING

Ceramic liners require a 2kW heater to be placed at the bottom of the opening for a minimum of 12 hours after installation - this is to set the flue system.  Once this is done, three fires are required over three consecutive days.  The first fire must be small, the second a medium sized fire, and the final fire must be a large fire.  This is to make sure that the liner sets properly.  If this is not done, the guarantee will not be valid and the liner would not be cured correctly.

USE OF FUEL

PRECAUTIONARY WARNING – ALWAYS USE APPROVED FUELS

Do not burn anything that has a paint or plastic content.  The best fuels for solid fuel fires are wood that has dried out for at least a year, kiln dried and smokeless fuels.  Burning incorrect fuel will reduce the life of your liner and can crack the back of your fire and/or tiles.  Your chimney can also be damaged.

Excessive heat can cause materials and the fitting to deteriorate.  This can be caused by burning inappropriate fuels such as pallets, old fence posts, due to the plastic content on the sealants used on them these burn at a higher temperature

PAYMENT

The Company will endeavour to keep the prices on the current standard price list but has the right to increase the prices of works to reflect any increase in its costs resulting from:

1)  Buyers Instructions or lack of instructions.
2)  Additional requirements of the buyer.
3)  Delays, additional overtime or any disruption arising from causes for which the Company is not directly responsible.
4)  Increase in VAT, duties, levies or tax.

OUR CHIMNEY LINING SERVICE

It is the Law that a fireplace, whether it is being used for gas or solid fuel, must have a flue that is fit for purpose and in good condition.

A smoke test is completed to see if the smoke comes out of one chimney pot at the top and nowhere else.  If smoke comes out of two pots, or out of the side of the chimney breast, the chimney will need to be lined.  Smoke can also leak into bedrooms, living rooms and in loft spaces.

Our chimney specialists will be able to advise on the best lining system for your fireplace or stove so that you can enjoy your installation knowing the chimney is safe and in good order for years to come.

Insulated twin wall systems are great if you do not have a chimney as they have a 50mm clearance to a combustible.  The design of the system will be discussed with you.  Please Note: Insulated twin wall systems, fixtures and fittings are standard and are used where they are necessary, for example, adjustable lengths and fixing bands are used in line with the manufacturer’s instructions and have to be fitted in specific places to ensure the flue system is fitted correctly.  The standard finish is stainless steel.  Sections that are not outside will be a brushed metal finish.  If you would like the system professionally painted please let us know.

We sign off our chimney lining installations as part of our service 7-10 days after final funds have been paid.

You do not need Building Controls Approval for us to install any fireplace or stove.

FITTING GUARANTEE

We guarantee our work for a period of a year.  However, we expect the installation to last many years.  We do not repair fireplaces that have been tampered with.

Please note: We have little or no control over fuels that people burn in their fireplace or stove which is why we give a guarantee of a year.  If your fireplace or stove is swept regularly and treated with care like any other part of your home it will last for many years to come.

Our lining systems hold a guarantee of 10 years, 20 years, or 50 years, as quoted.