Woman who paid $4,000 to get out of air conditioner contract still stuck in it nine months later
Door-to-door sales of furnace, air conditioners and water heaters were banned in March 2018, but many Ontarians who signed deals before that are still stuck with them.
In 2015, Angela Ashley of Norland, Ont., signed a contract to buy an air conditioner and said not long after she regretted her decision.
"We bought our air conditioner that was supposed to be paid out over ten years, but my husband was like you shouldn't have signed up for that,” said Ashely, who added “we’re now paying ten times what it's worth, but since we signed up, we were doing it."
In September 2021, Ashley got a call from a company that said it could help her get out of the long-term contract for a fee of $3,955.
Ashley said at the time, after six years of payments, the buyout for the air conditioner was still about $10,000, so she agreed to hire the company to try and cancel the deal.
"They said it would be quick, it would all be over in a few months and be paid off," said Ashley.
The company that contacted Ashley is Canada Contract Dispute. She said after she paid them $3,955 she received no correspondence from their representatives and her calls were not returned.
"I left message, after message, after message, after message and no one returned my phone calls. It just goes to voice mail," said Ashley.
When CTV News Toronto reached out to the company, a spokesperson for Canada Contract Dispute said in a statement “Canada Contract Dispute works hard to ensure client satisfaction. Due to events surrounding COVID-19, Ms. Ashley’s file was severely delayed. Her file was sent to a litigator prior to correspondence with CTV.”
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) issued a warning in March 2022 about businesses offering to terminate home equipment contracts after getting complaints.
“We received some of these similar reports coming in from across the province,” said FSRA spokesperson Russ Courtney.
FSRA is advising consumers to do their own research as these types of services dealing with breaking long term rental agreements for home equipment are so new, homeowners should be cautious and do their homework before paying in advance for the service.
"Take your time to understand what you are getting into and remember you can always take a step back and talk to someone" said Courtney.
Canada Contract Dispute said it is currently working on Ashely’s file. Ashley says after nine months of waiting she is hoping to get some answers soon about her case.
"Ideally I would like this company to get me out (of the deal) or give me back my money and I’ll keep paying for the air conditioner if I have to," said Ashley.
While door-to-door sales have been banned in Ontario, there are some products and services that can be still sold at your door so homeowners are advised to be careful if you’re pitched something and to never sign any contract you don't completely understand.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Have you been removed from your family doctor’s patient list for visiting an Ontario walk-in clinic?
Some Ontarians are expressing frustration after they said that they were removed from their family doctor’s patient list for visiting a walk-in clinic in a process being called “de-rostering.”
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Canadian government proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.