ACTION LINE: Door-to-door water heater salesmen can soak careless consumers

Door-to-door salesmen have likely been around since the Europeans came to America.

Its an old tradition.

You blitz a neighbourhood and go for the quick kill.

Everybody knows about the vacuum cleaner guys, out-of-town driveway-paving firms and the gas suppliers.

But they cant carry a bucket when compared to water heater salesmen.

Many consumers are tempted to rent a new water heater from door-to-door salespeople who offer deals that sound too good to pass up, a recent Ministry of Consumer Services (MCS) Consumer Alert warns. Complaints about water heater rental businesses have gone up significantly over the past year. Most of these complaints are about unclear or misleading contracts.

If you check the ministrys Consumer Beware List ( http://www.consumerbeware.mgs.gov.on.ca/) youll find many culprits. Indeed, water heater firms now rank No. 2 on the ministrys consumer complaints list, trailing only debt collectors.

Earlier this summer, the province issued more than 400 charges under the Consumer Protection Act against Mr. Tankless Incorporated, Ontario Ensource Incorporated and two directors associated with those companies.

Mr. Tankless Incorporated and Ontario Ensource Incorporated installed tankless water heater systems, furnaces and air conditioners, and performed home energy audits in the Greater Toronto Area and other communities in southern Ontario.

Charges laid include failure to deliver a valid contract, failure to refund and various unfair, misleading and unconscionable practices related to the payment of fees for home energy audits and the availability of government rebates. The charges also relate to incentives consumers were offered as signing bonuses, but never received.

Originally posted here:

ACTION LINE: Door-to-door water heater salesmen can soak careless consumers