Smoke control areas, Ecodesign and Ready to Burn: the stove rules in Hertfordshire and London

Three sets of rules affect what you can burn and what you can buy. None of them stop you having a wood burner; they just decide which stove and which fuel. Here is what each one means for Hertfordshire and London.

Smoke control areas (Clean Air Act)

Councils can declare smoke control areas. Inside one, you must not emit smoke from a chimney unless you are burning an authorised fuel or using an exempt appliance. Almost all of London is a smoke control area, and parts of Hertfordshire are too; the boundaries follow council maps rather than obvious lines, so we check your exact address. The practical answer is a Defra-exempt stove, which has been tested to burn wood cleanly enough to be allowed in these areas. Councils can issue fines for smoke from a non-exempt appliance.

Ecodesign (since 1 January 2022)

All new wood and multi-fuel stoves sold in the UK must meet Ecodesign limits for particulates and efficiency. Every stove we fit is Ecodesign compliant. Note that Ecodesign and Defra-exempt are not the same thing: an Ecodesign stove is not automatically exempt for smoke control areas, so in London we specify stoves that are both.

Ready to Burn (fuel)

Since 2021 small quantities of wood sold for home burning in England must be certified Ready to Burn, which means under 20% moisture. Traditional house coal can no longer be sold for home use; manufactured smokeless fuels can. Dry wood is not just a rule: it is the single biggest difference to how your stove performs and how clean the glass stays.

What this means for you

• Hitchin and most of Hertfordshire: an Ecodesign stove, dry wood, annual sweep. We check whether your street is in a smoke control area.
• London: a Defra-exempt Ecodesign stove and Ready to Burn wood or authorised smokeless fuel.
• Everywhere: burn only dry, untreated wood. No painted or treated timber, no household rubbish.

Not sure about your address? Ask us and we will check it before you choose a stove.