Ainsley* was surprised when her parents told her they’d decided to buy a new furnace, water treatment system and air conditioner. They told Ainsley a company came to their door and convinced them they would own the items after three years of monthly payments.
“I thought it was a great deal at first,” says Ainsley. She then realized her parents hadn’t been given a copy of the contract. When she looked into it, she was shocked to find out that the contract was actually a lifetime lease and her parents would be paying thousands of dollars more than expected.
“I thought this couldn’t be real, who would agree to this for a lifetime?” asked Ainsley. She tried to cancel the contract, but the company denied her request. “I was so worried about the stress on my mom,” says Ainsley. “It was a lot of money.” That’s when she contacted Consumer Protection BC.
Consumer Protection BC contacted the business on behalf of Ainsley’s family, stating that they had not received a copy of the contract and were within their rights to cancel. The company agreed to cancel the contract, refund all payments and allowed the family to keep the appliances without charge.
“We are really thankful that we had someone helping us,” says Ainsley. She explains that although it was a difficult time, she never lost hope that things would work out, “I always believe that the truth will prevail.”
Ainsley encourages others to contact Consumer Protection BC when they feel like they’re out of options.
*Names changed to protect the privacy of the individuals involved.
Curious about your rights when it comes to door-to-door sales contracts?
Have you ever had someone come to your door to sell you a product or service? These types of contracts are called direct sales contracts and by law, you have certain cancellation rights. Find out more.
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About Consumer Protection BC
We are responsible for regulating specific industries and certain consumer transactions in British Columbia. If your concern is captured under the laws we enforce, we will use the tools at our disposal to assist you. If we can’t help you directly, we will be happy to provide you with as much information as possible. Depending on your concern, another organization may be the ones to speak to; other times, court or legal assistance may be the best option. Explore our website at www.consumerprotectionbc.ca.
I recently purchased a refrigerator that makes a terrible noise when the cooling cycle starts, the provider GE told me this is normal. I have other refrigerators including family and friends none make such a loud.noise. GE will not take it back
What are my options
Hi Dwight, sorry for taking some time to get back to you. Have you talked to the retailer where you bought the fridge from? Consumer Protection Bc does not oversee retail purchases so we will not be able to assist you in this case but I wonder if the retailer would be able to exchange the fridge for another one. The other possibility is if you have a warranty, you may be able to contact GE again to see if they will be able to send a repair person to you. Either way, I hope you will be able to solve the issue quickly.