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Anybody have experience canceling Ontario Consumers Home Services Inc.

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  • May 11th, 2021 11:28 am
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Deal Addict
User avatar
Jan 16, 2007
1084 posts
83 upvotes
Scarborough

Anybody have experience canceling Ontario Consumers Home Services Inc.

Hi,

We signed a water heater rental contract yesterday, and from some research seems like we totally made a mistake.

I am going to try to call theie toll free number to cancel tomorrow, since we are still within the 10 days cooling period.

Did anybody have any experience cancelling? I just want to make sure I am going to do it right.

Thanks,
W
If the price is right, just roll the dice.
20 replies
Sr. Member
Apr 10, 2009
813 posts
263 upvotes
Good luck as well. I absolutely hate their shady practices and incredibly pushy salespeople.

They pretty much walked into my home on their own accord and I had to raise my voice in order for them to leave after asking politely numerous times first.

What pissed me off even more is that they outright lie. The sales person started with "your water heater is very old and dangerous so your gas company would like us to inspect and change it". Uh..... no. It's one year old.


If you're within the cooling off period you have some options. File a complaint with the BBB as well if things start turning south.
Sr. Member
May 14, 2007
654 posts
105 upvotes
Ottawa
Document everything. Name and or employee number of the agent you talked to, date and time.

If they agree during the call, then send them an email confirming all the details. And then send them a letter and keep a copy.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jan 11, 2008
7816 posts
1290 upvotes
GTA
wikkid_bigshot wrote: Hi,

We signed a water heater rental contract yesterday, and from some research seems like we totally made a mistake.

I am going to try to call theie toll free number to cancel tomorrow, since we are still within the 10 days cooling period

Did anybody have any experience cancelling? I just want to make sure I am going to do it right.

Thanks,
W
Make sure your put your cancellation request in writing during the 10 day cooling off period and send it by registered mail, fax or courier and keep proof of receipt.

More info here:

https://www.ontario.ca/consumers/your-r ... g-contract

And a sample cancellation letter during a cooling off period:

http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/Documents/ ... ter_en.pdf
When your mind says give up, hope whispers "one more try"
Never say never
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2011
41802 posts
30056 upvotes
Center of Universe
You have 10days, go cancel (get off the Internet) and report back once successful!
Member
Mar 1, 2009
397 posts
104 upvotes
sillysimms wrote: Make sure your put your cancellation request in writing during the 10 day cooling off period and send it by registered mail, fax or courier and keep proof of receipt.

More info here:

https://www.ontario.ca/consumers/your-r ... g-contract

And a sample cancellation letter during a cooling off period:

http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/Documents/ ... ter_en.pdf
I believe you can email it which is what I did for my parents when my dad signed the damn thing thinking they were Enbridge.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jan 11, 2008
7816 posts
1290 upvotes
GTA
Zaslav wrote: I believe you can email it which is what I did for my parents when my dad signed the damn thing thinking they were Enbridge.
Yep, you are right! In their write up I see they mention email - they just didn't include it with the sample letter. Email is the easiest for sure.
When your mind says give up, hope whispers "one more try"
Never say never
Deal Addict
User avatar
Jan 16, 2007
1084 posts
83 upvotes
Scarborough
Sent in an email and gotten this response:

[QUOTE]

I have cancelled the installation as per your request.

Do you have a good time I can contact you to follow up to confirm the cancellation?
[/QUOTE]

Going to endure the final sales pitch and then hopefully be on my way.
If the price is right, just roll the dice.
Newbie
Jul 24, 2014
1 posts
Tecumseh, ON
Ontario Consumers Home Services is a fraudulent business. They use misleading and delinquent tactics to have consumers signed in expensive lengthy contracts, in regard of water heater, furnace and A/C equipment. They often imply they represent a government branch, fact which makes many people, specially the elderly ones lowering their guard and letting these snakes inside their homes. The second subject thrown at the consumer is a fast talk about the "guaranteed benefits" a consumer gets once a contract is signed. Ontario Consumers Home Services has been already multiple times reported as a shoddy business to BBB. Hopefully some lawyer partnership may see a good opportunity in having them prosecuted. So be warned.
Deal Addict
Oct 13, 2014
2896 posts
2234 upvotes
Just Moved To Somewh…
As of December, 2013 you have a 20 day cooling off period, additionally they are not allowed to install any heater within that cooling off period. Even though there are no penalties for doing so the protection that is now there gives you more power to deal with this.

http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/statut ... 2c30_e.htm

(1) A consumer may, without any reason, cancel a direct agreement at any time from the date of entering into the agreement until,

(a) 20 days, or such other period as is prescribed, after the consumer has received the written copy of the agreement and the supplier has met all the requirements for entering into the agreement, in the case of a direct agreement that requires the supplier to supply to the consumer a water heater or other goods or services that are prescribed; or

ADDITIONALLY

43.1 (1) Except in the circumstances that are prescribed, if any, a supplier under a direct agreement that requires the supplier to supply to the consumer a water heater or other goods or services that are prescribed shall not supply the heater or the goods or services, as the case may be, until the period that the consumer has for cancelling the agreement under clause 43 (1) (a) has expired. 2013, c. 13, Sched. 2, s. 5.

Unsolicited goods or services

(2) If a supplier supplies goods or services to a consumer in contravention of subsection (1), the goods or services are deemed to be unsolicited and subsections 13 (1), (2), (6), (7) and (8) apply to them. 2013, c. 13, Sched. 2, s. 5.
Deal Expert
Oct 6, 2005
16872 posts
2557 upvotes
Diponio wrote: OThey often imply they represent a government branch, fact which makes many people, specially the elderly ones lowering their guard and letting these snakes inside their homes.
It's funny how they come to the door dressed up in a yellow safety vest, work boots, and such to look like a public works employee. Such scammers.
Newbie
Mar 25, 2015
3 posts
Barrie, ON
I don't know what was I thinking, but I signed the agreements for the furnace and AC. Then I googled them and here you go, I found this forum. I called right away and cancelled over the phone. The lady on the phone was a bit pushy but I told her this was it and cancelled. Then I sent them a detailed email with the cancellation notice.

Thank you guys for being here. You ensured me I should have trusted my gut and not let them in in the first place.
Newbie
Feb 16, 2015
41 posts
6 upvotes
Markham, ON
As someone who was previously employed by Ontario Consumers (I'm sorry everybody, I'm so so sorry) the 10 day cooling off period is strictly enforced by their offices and if you clearly say "NO, Cancel" by law they must do it.
Newbie
Mar 25, 2015
3 posts
Barrie, ON
They called me back this morning and gave me the confirmation for the cancellation. I will never ever let anyone in again.
Deal Addict
Jun 23, 2010
1848 posts
277 upvotes
Markham
reindeer76 wrote: They called me back this morning and gave me the confirmation for the cancellation. I will never ever let anyone in again.
I'm glad. They are pieces of crap that prey on the unknowledgeable. CTV's Pat Foran did a speal on them 2 weeks ago and it wasn't flattering. The got along time of damage control to shake loose their reputation.
Sr. Member
Aug 16, 2013
624 posts
309 upvotes
Toronto
What are the options to cancel? Already 5 years into the 10-year contract and they are asking for $2700 to buy out. I have been paying them $40+Tax for a water heater that just delivers mild hot water.
Sr. Member
Jan 4, 2010
778 posts
463 upvotes
Waterloo
roofgoof wrote: What are the options to cancel? Already 5 years into the 10-year contract and they are asking for $2700 to buy out. I have been paying them $40+Tax for a water heater that just delivers mild hot water.
I can't remember exactly what happened since this took place 10 years ago. Might have been a year into the contract before we figured out what was going on. 14 year old me called them out and told them to "eat shit you scum bags" and they finally cancelled our contract without paying for buy out. (Yes I was pretty much in charge of my household at 14 and I wasn't nice)
Sr. Member
Aug 16, 2013
624 posts
309 upvotes
Toronto
tinbitz wrote: I can't remember exactly what happened since this took place 10 years ago. Might have been a year into the contract before we figured out what was going on. 14 year old me called them out and told them to "eat shit you scum bags" and they finally cancelled our contract without paying for buy out. (Yes I was pretty much in charge of my household at 14 and I wasn't nice)
OK. Another update.

I have reviewed the contract sent by OCHS. They didn't even have my name until I told them. They go by many names.

1) The contract signed by the previous owner in 2014 sets the rate as $27 plus HST while I am being charged $40 plus HST
2) The contract doesn't have any end of the rental date. Every time, I call them they say it's 10 years but it's not mentioned anywhere in the contract. The detail terms I already posted.
3) There's no total payment over the period mentioned in the contract. That's why they are bumping cost every year.
4) I am not just getting mild hot water since I moved in. Every time, I call them for service, they make an excuse. Try turning it off and restart it again. They sent someone yesterday and he said there's a problem with mixing pipe and it's your responsibility not ours.

Can I get out of this shitty contract?

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