FATHER Christmas should make the most of the chimneys in the South East this Christmas Eve because in years to come he may be hard pushed to find one.

According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) chimneys are going up in smoke, with new homes not having them and many older homes not maintaining or restoring theirs.

Trevor Hines, RICS South East regional director, said: "There are three things working against the old-fashioned chimney – an increasing focus on energy efficiency in the home, the space and cost implications of construction and the effort and cost of maintaining them.

"What many people don’t realise is that working open fireplaces with chimneys can add both aesthetic and practical value to a property. But because they take up valuable space and add extra cost to the design of a property they may become the preserve of the upper end of the market."

Part L of the new Building Regulations, due to be introduced in Spring 2006, will place particular emphasis on energy efficiency and keeping buildings draft free. Chimneys open to the elements will go against such legislation and are therefore less likely to feature in new build homes of the future.

In older properties, many chimneys have been blocked up or are in a state of disrepair. Of the 26million chimneys in the UK, over 6.7million are in serious need of attention. Only £17billion is currently being spent each year on repairing and maintaining properties - far short of the £48billion needed to bring these homes up to standard.

Mr Hines said: "We need to balance the requirements for energy efficiency with ventilation, and practicality with aesthetics. We must not make the mistake of creating properties so airtight that they cannot breath – causing condensation and damp issues.

"A well maintained chimney and open fireplace can be a bonus all year round, not just a welcome asset at Christmas."