Beware of door-to-door solar promises
Consumer groups are advising caution when dealing with home sales pitches that seem too good to be true.
Door-to-door salespeople in Estrie are currently offering solar panel systems and promising significant savings and some are exceedingly skillful at advocating for their products, the Association of Estrie Home Economics Cooperatives (ACEF) and the Office of Consumer Protection warned.
They promise subsidies, a system that can meet all their home energy needs, attractive income from reselling surplus electricity to Hydro-quebec, and significant savings on energy bills. These would be enough that the investment will pay for itself in just a few years, according to the sales pitch.
"If all this sounds too good to be true, maybe it's just because it isn’t. If you find yourself faced with them, just tell them that you will think about it and ask them to leave you all their documents, " the ACED advised.
"Consumers who are promised a subsidy should always take the time to check the terms of available assistance directly with the organization that manages the program, such as Revenu Québec in the case of the Rénovert tax credit and Energy Transition Québec in the case of Rénoclimat. Similarly, when it comes to the purchase of surplus electricity by Hydroquébec, the utility recommends consulting its website."
Neither Hydro-québec, Transition energetique Québec, nor Revenu Québec have any partnership with suppliers of selfgeneration equipment or a commercial association related to the sale of equipment,an ACED press release confirmed.
According to the Consumer Protection Office, in the case of a solicitation at a consumer's home that was not expressly requested by the consumer, the later has a period of ten days to cancel the contract. This period may be extended to one year if the merchant does not have a permit or has neglected some of the obligations imposed by law. "In addition, the right of resolution can be exercised even if the merchant has already proceeded to the installation of the system," said ACEF Estrie coordinator Sylvie Bonin