Don’t get burned by water deal
Customer uphappy with door-to-door deal
Connie Delaire spent the holidays with a brand new hot water tank sitting on the porch of her south-end home.
The eyesore is a constant reminder to the King George St. resident about what to do next time a door-to-door salesman comes knocking on her door.
“Don’t bother letting them in unless they have a full police escort,” she said.
Currently, Delaire is paying rentals on at least two hot water tanks and possibly a third after a Livclean Home Services salesman knocked on her door 10 days before Christmas.
In the midst of a busy day planning shopping and activities, Delaire said she was interrupted by the impromptu visit.
The man identified himself as an Enbridge contractor and showed Delaire, a Direct Energy customer, a tag displayed on his jacket, she said.
“He said he needed to get in and inspect my piping on my hot water tank,” Delaire said. “He said: ‘If you don’t let me in … you will be liable.’”
Delaire expressed her frustration with the inconvenient house call, but the man said notice was given to her in the summer and the inspection would only take 20 seconds, she said.
She relented and asked her husband Brad to deal with the salesman, who was brought downstairs to look at the water tank.
“He said our water tank was 10 years old and had to be replaced,” she said.
The installation was scheduled for the next week. Delaire said she was under the impression she would still be billed through her current provider Direct Energy. The salesmen did not inform her otherwise, she said.
But on the day of the installation, Delaire came home from work to find that her husband, who she admits pays little attention to paperwork, had signed a new contract with Livclean. They would now be billed $25.95 for the new tank, a monthly rate $2 higher than her current rate and subject to increases.
“I was just so frustrated. It was insane,” she said.
If a customer has any doubt about a person who claims to represent Enbridge, they should call us before allowing the individual to enter their home.” Chris Meyer Enbridge spokeswoman
She complained and Livclean agreed to come remove the tank on Christmas Eve, she said, while Direct Energy agreed to come and install a replacement.
Direct Energy showed up and replaced the tank but Livclean was a no show, she said.
Direct Energy said it would continue to bill Delaire for the new tank and the original tank that was removed until she could provide paperwork proving LivClean had removed the tank, Delaire said.
Livclean has so far refused to give her that paperwork and Delaire has responded by refusing to allow the company to pick up its water tank, she said.
That’s why the water tank is currently sitting on her porch. Delaire said she doesn’t know whether she will be charged for that tank too.
The company has threatened legal action, she said, and the matter is currently at a standoff.
The Examiner made many attempts to contact Livclean for comment but could not get through to a person at head office. Multiple messages went unreturned.
“I’m just absolutely appalled that people can get away with this,” Delaire said.
Delaire is among thousands of Ontarians who have been impacted by this, often resulting in longer and more costly water heater contracts.
Allegations of aggressive, mis- representation by door-to-door energy salesmen are not new.
The Ministry of Consumer Services has fielded 4,481 calls about water heater rental issues including 779 written complaints and 3,702 verbal inquiries since January 2010.
Matters raised in complaints included allegations of misrepresentation, issues related to cancellation, billing disputes, conduct, quality of service and questions about the reputation of companies.
Livclean, a Mississauga based company, has made it onto the ministry’s Consumer Beware List four times based on allegations of misrepresentation, poor conduct, contract and billing disputes.
Enbridge spokeswoman Chris Meyer said homeowners need to be careful when approached at their door.
“If a customer has any doubt about a person who claims to represent Enbridge, they should call us before allowing the individual to enter their home,” she said. “We deliver natural gas to customers but we don’t sell, rent or service natural gas appliances including water heaters.”
In 2010, energy suppliers Direct Energy and Reliance began running cautionary ad campaigns to warn customers of tricky sales tactics designed to switch customers from one company to another.
“I would certainly urge customers to ask as many questions as possible … so that they know exactly what they are purchasing,” said Direct Energy spokeswoman Lisa Frizzell. “We don’t do doorto-door sales. We don’t show up without an appointment.”
The Consumers’ Waterheater Income Fund, a Direct Energy affiliate, had a social media blitz on Facebook and Youtube called Ignore the Door in 2010 as well.
But based on the slew of complaints that continue to flood into the Ministry of Consumer Services, it appears the cautionary message has had little effect.
It’s up to consumers to be more diligent at their doorsteps, the ministry advices.
That’s a lesson, and a costly one, Delaire will not soon forget.
“Our society has come down to we can’t trust a soul,” she said.