After chasing away two men posing as provincial energy sector employees, a Mississauga councillor wants the Ontario government to step in and ban door-to-door sales of things such as furnaces, air conditioners and water filtration systems.
“This is about the people who come to the door who misrepresent themselves,” said Councillor Karen Ras, whose motion to ask the province for a sweeping ban of certain types of door-to-door sales passed unanimously at council Wednesday.
“I was home last fall with my two girls. Two big guys come into my vestibule area, so they’re already kind of into my house.”
After they entered and said they were from the Ontario Energy Board, Ras said she had to “physically push them out” of her home.
They had told her they were there to inspect her equipment to make sure she was getting all the government energy credits that she was entitled to. Ras said it was all a ruse to sell her products at “exorbitant” rates, and that unwitting consumers can be locked into misleading contracts for as much as $259 a month for the rental of packages such as hot water heaters, air conditioners and water filtration systems.
Ras has had to deal with her own constituents who have been duped.
“I’ve been dealing with a 90-year-old lady who’s a resident of mine. Her son contacted me — she’s a dementia sufferer.”
Two men came to the woman’s door and signed her up to an $80-a-month water filtration system contract for 10 years, Ras said. The woman didn’t even realize she could say no to the salespeople, whom she thought were with the government, Ras added.
She said another resident in her ward who does not speak English as a first language was signed up for an air conditioner, a water heater and a water softener.
“Her monthly rental is $259 . . . a 10-year contract or the life of the equipment.”
Ras said the contracts are very difficult to get out of with steep buyout charges.
She said even if the province doesn’t act on an outright ban she wants the issue to be addressed, perhaps with tougher legislation to prevent companies from behaving fraudulently.
Markham council also recently passed a motion similar to the one Ras successfully moved.
A campaign called StopTheKnocks was launched with the support of Ras, Markham councillors and residents in both municipalities who want to spread awareness across the province.
Mississauga asks province to ban predatory door-to-door sales | Toronto Star
“This is about the people who come to the door who misrepresent themselves,” said Councillor Karen Ras, whose motion to ask the province for a sweeping ban of certain types of door-to-door sales passed unanimously at council Wednesday.
“I was home last fall with my two girls. Two big guys come into my vestibule area, so they’re already kind of into my house.”
After they entered and said they were from the Ontario Energy Board, Ras said she had to “physically push them out” of her home.
They had told her they were there to inspect her equipment to make sure she was getting all the government energy credits that she was entitled to. Ras said it was all a ruse to sell her products at “exorbitant” rates, and that unwitting consumers can be locked into misleading contracts for as much as $259 a month for the rental of packages such as hot water heaters, air conditioners and water filtration systems.
Ras has had to deal with her own constituents who have been duped.
“I’ve been dealing with a 90-year-old lady who’s a resident of mine. Her son contacted me — she’s a dementia sufferer.”
Two men came to the woman’s door and signed her up to an $80-a-month water filtration system contract for 10 years, Ras said. The woman didn’t even realize she could say no to the salespeople, whom she thought were with the government, Ras added.
She said another resident in her ward who does not speak English as a first language was signed up for an air conditioner, a water heater and a water softener.
“Her monthly rental is $259 . . . a 10-year contract or the life of the equipment.”
Ras said the contracts are very difficult to get out of with steep buyout charges.
She said even if the province doesn’t act on an outright ban she wants the issue to be addressed, perhaps with tougher legislation to prevent companies from behaving fraudulently.
Markham council also recently passed a motion similar to the one Ras successfully moved.
A campaign called StopTheKnocks was launched with the support of Ras, Markham councillors and residents in both municipalities who want to spread awareness across the province.
Mississauga asks province to ban predatory door-to-door sales | Toronto Star
