Watch out for pushy door-to-door salespeople!

Complaints and lawsuits against door-to-door salespeople with questionable practices are on the rise. CAA-Quebec reminds that you shutting the door is better than being pressured into signing a contract. You always have rights, even if you were coerced into signing on the dotted line. 

Typical scenario

Ding dong! It’s the doorbell. You open the door to a tall smooth talker who offers to inspect your attic for free. He says there’s been an outbreak of nasty mould in the area and many properties have required urgent decontamination. You start to worry. So you let him in to take a look. He’s got all sorts of equipment and seems like a real pro.

“Your home is infested with mould and your health is at risk. It’s the worst case I’ve ever seen!” He sounds panicked. You know very well that mould is no laughing matter. Luckily, he’s got just the solution. It costs an arm and a leg, but you can’t put a price on health! He promises to save you money on heating and cooling by redoing the insulation while he’s at it.

He’s persuasive, even pushy. His “heavily discounted” price is a one-time offer. He can’t guarantee the same deal tomorrow. Your family’s health comes first and everyone likes saving money, so you sign on the spot. He says the work will start the next morning and you barely have time to write a cheque for the deposit before he’s out the door. 

A common trap

Have you heard this one before? It rings a bell for hundreds of Quebecers who have been pressured by door-to-door salespeople into buying overpriced services they didn’t really need, often on the basis of false claims. 

In February Journal de Montréal reported that in 2018, 1,000 complaints were filed with OPC (Quebec’s office of consumer protection) against door-to-door salespeople for misrepresentation or unreasonable fees. That’s up 4% from 2017. 

OPC recommends being very cautious. Door-to-door salespeople are not prohibited in Quebec, but they must meet certain standards and hold a permit. OPC says complaints and lawsuits against door-to-door salespeople mainly involve heat pumps, solar panels, and attic decontamination services.

What to do

“Never succumb to pressure and always give yourself time to think about an offer,” says Jacques Gobeil, director of CAA-Quebec’s Residential Advisory Services. It’s crucial to get a second opinion to ensure you’re making the right decision. If the salesperson makes all sorts of promises and says the offer is only valid for 24 hours, just say ‘no thanks.’” 

Always take precautions before signing a contract with a door-to-door salesperson: 

• Ask to see their permit or at least get their permit number so you can verify it with OPC. 
• Make sure they have a valid Régie du bâtiment (RBQ) permit and sufficient in-force professional insurance. 
• Get a second opinion. All CAA-Quebec members have access to Residential Advisory Services advisors who can answer their questions and help them make informed decisions. 

What if you took the bait?

• It’s important to remember that under the Consumer Protection Act, you have the right to cancel a contract with a door-to-door salesperson free of charge within ten days. 
• You also have recourse against any door-to-door salesperson who convinced you to sign a contract through misrepresentation.

Vigilance is key. Today’s door-to-door salespeople are organized and well-equipped. They use social media to promote their enticing offers. Sometimes they’re backed by an entire team and even a call centre in an effort to solicit as many households as possible through call blitzes in specific areas. 

It’s better to be safe than sorry!