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
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.