Ontario restricts door-to-door sales of HVAC, plumbing products and services
March 2, 2018 | By Jillian Morgan
The Ontario government has banned unsolicited door-to-door and in-home sales of certain household appliances under the Consumer Protection Act.
Effective March 1, 2018, restricted products and services include: furnaces, air conditioners, air cleaners, air purifiers, water heaters, water treatment devices, water purifiers, water filters, water softeners and duct cleaning services.
Any product or service that performs one or more of these product functions, such as an HVAC system, is also restricted.
The provincial government has granted exceptions in cases where the consumer has a contract in place with the business or initiated the transaction. Businesses will also be required to keep records for three years if a new contract is signed, including how contact with the consumer was made.
Under the new rules, a 10-day cooling off period will be applied in which a consumer can cancel a contract without reason or penalty.
Rules for water heater suppliers will no longer be required as door-to-door sales of water heater contracts are no longer permitted.
Effective May 1, 2018 suppliers must provide disclosures in consumer agreements using the updated, mandatory cover page.
All contracts for restricted products will require the consumer to sign the new cover page and the contract for the product or service before any work begins, also effective May 1, 2018.
If a consumer calls for a repair or maintenance, businesses may only leave information about product and service offerings – unless the business has a written contract in place with the consumer and secures the consumer’s approval in advance of the visit to solicit a contract.
An overview of the new rules can be seen at www.ontario.ca/page/rules-businesses-entering-contracts-consumers-home. www.ontario.ca
