Ontario woman signs $12,748 furnace contract after being offered free doorbell
Door-to-door sales were banned in Ontario in March of 2018, but some companies may still come to your home to try and sell you products or services.
A Brampton, Ont. woman said in October 2021 someone came to her home offering her a free doorbell.
"I said 'No one gives away anything for free. What's the catch?' He said 'No, ma'am there is none, it's really free,'" said Beverly Williamson.
Williamson said she was told someone would come the next day to install the doorbell, but when they showed up they said they needed to go into her basement.
Once the company representative was downstairs, Williamson said he inspected her furnace and said she could save money if she installed a new one.
Williamson said she was told there was a special offer on a new furnace, but only if she signed the contract that same day and she did.
"Once I signed on the dotted line they had someone basically outside waiting to come in and install the furnace. So the furnace was installed the same day, but they didn't install the doorbell," said Williamson.
The doorbell was installed two weeks later, but Williamson said it no longer works and she had to have her original doorbell reinstalled by someone else.
"The following day the doorbell was not working and it has not been working since," said Williamson.
Williamson signed a contract to pay $69.99 a month for the furnace over a period of 15 years. The contract states there is a total commitment with other fees of $12,748.
Williamson said she regrets accepting the doorbell offer and wishes she did not sign the contract and kept the furnace she already had.
"I'm so upset about it I haven't really relaxed since then. I would really like them to take the furnace out of my house," said Williamson.
The doorbell and furnace were installed by Simply Smart Home, based in Vaughan, Ont.
A spokesperson for the company told CTV News Toronto "At Simply Smart, we take customer feedback very seriously. We are disheartened to hear of Ms. Williamson’s experience, and are in the process of finding some solutions with which she finds satisfactory and address her concerns."
The spokesperson added "From the onset of installation of our equipment at Ms. Williamson's home, Simply Smart did not charge her anything, nor do we plan on billing Ms. Williamson until we find a resolution to her concerns."
That came as a relief for Williamson who said she is now being given the option to buy the furnace at a reduced amount or have it removed from her home.
It's a reminder that most door to door sales are banned in Ontario, but if you make an appointment with a company and invite them into your home it's not considered a door to door sale, so be cautious if you're offered free products or rebates at your door.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.