OREA wins REALTOR® exemption for door knocking
The Ontario Government has banned unsolicited door-to-door sales of certain household appliances as of March 1st, 2018. The Government introduced the ban to protect consumers from any aggressive or misleading contracts – one of the top consumer complaints in Ontario.
When the Bill was introduced, OREA worked hard to protect REALTORS® from this ban. OREA’s advocacy ensured that REALTORS® who door knock are not captured by the legislation.
The new legislation requires that businesses contracting certain household appliances and services will only be able to enter into a contract if the consumer has contacted the business ahead of time, via telephone, email, etc. Initial contact with a consumer cannot be made at their doorstep.
All contracts signed for certain goods and services will also have a 10-day cooling off period, allowing consumers to cancel the contract for any reason without penalty.
Contracts that are in violation of the new rules (i.e. a contract was signed following door-to-door sales tactics) will be considered void. Consumers will be able to keep the goods and services with no obligations.
The new rules apply to the following household appliances and services:
- Air cleaners
- Air conditioners
- Air purifiers
- Duct cleaning services
- Furnaces
- Water filters
- Water heaters
- Water softeners
- Water treatment devices
- Bundles of the above goods and services
If you have any further questions or concerns about the ban on unsolicited door-to-door sales, you may contact governmentrelations@orea.com.
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