Chimneys and parapets
A pot was removed and the flaunching is open. Has the survey swept the flue or only seen the top?
The survey has only seen the top. It has not swept the flue. A pot removed and flaunching left open shows a hole at the stack head. The visit did not brush the flue, did not camera it, and did not decide whether it is clear, lined or blocked lower down. Rain can enter an open crown. The report records the missing pot and the open mortar. It has not decided the flue is safe to use, and it has not decided it is redundant.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
Flaunching is the mortar that weathers the top of the stack and beds the pots. When it is open where a pot came out, the flue mouth is exposed. Sweeping would mean passing brushes, and usually a debris check, through the flue. A home survey looking from the roof or from the ground with binoculars does not do that work. The top tells you the pot is gone. The shaft below remains unread.
Ask the solicitor whether the fireplace is still in use and whether any liner or cap paperwork exists. A chimney sweep or a flue specialist can examine the shaft if you need it proved clear or properly closed. Do not tell a lender the flue was swept because the top was seen. Until something is done at the open crown, the weathering point stays open and the interior stays unknown.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Was the inspection limited to the open top of the stack?
- Did anyone avoid claiming the flue had been swept?
- Is the fireplace's status left to papers outside this visit?
What are the typical next steps?
- Record an open flaunching and an unswept flue.
- Ask the solicitor whether the fireplace is still in use.
- Do not describe the view of the crown as a sweep.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Can rain get into an open pot position?
Yes. An open flaunching is a hole at the crown, so rain can enter the flue. The survey saw that opening. It did not measure how far water had run, and it did not sweep the soot or debris that might sit lower down. The weathering defect is the open top. The flue interior is still unseen.
Does a missing pot mean the flue was taken out of use?
Not on its own. Pots are removed for several reasons, including damage, and removal does not prove the fireplace is closed or ventilated correctly. The survey saw the open flaunching. It did not trace the flue to a room or read a decommissioning note. Use, disuse and condition inside the shaft stay unresolved.