Accusations of shoddy workmanship and poor customer service are piling up against a company that is selling furnaces door-to-door in Saskatchewan.
Joel Beckel bought a furnace from Ontario-based Simply Green Home Services. He says he immediately regretted it.
Beckel says the furnace installation left cracks and holes in his chimney and the new ventilation pipes blocked access to his cabinet. He later learned the installers did not get the proper permits for the work.
“Without a gas permit, if anything happens, there goes my insurance,” Beckel told CTV News.
He says he made phone calls and e-mailed pictures of the damage to the numbers and addresses provided by the door-to-door salesperson. Yet weeks later, the problems had still not been addressed.
"If it takes three weeks just to get anybody out to look at something, what do I do in the wintertime if the furnace breaks down?" Beckel asked.
Several other dissatisfied customers have filed complaints against Simply Green Home Services.
Heather Morlidge says her furnace installation featured exposed electrical wires, and a hole in the side of her house. Despite repeated calls to the numbers provided by the door-to-door salesperson over a period of months, she was still waiting for a resolution.
"All this company seems to do is run you in circles," Morlidge said.
Her mother, Louise Wilke, also purchased a furnace from Simply Green. Several months later, it was inspected by SaskPower. The inspector found two gas leaks, and ordered the system shut down until repairs could be carried out.
Lynda Turbide purchased a water softener and water heater from a Simply Green door-to-door salesperson. She later discovered electrical tape had been used on the new plumbing.
"They took (the) washing machine hose, balanced it on top and taped it,” Turbide said. “Of course, the water still shot out."
But all of these customers admit, they signed their contracts without actually reading the fine print on the back. A closer look at the document reveals customers waive any and all claims for any damages to their property. The customers are responsible for maintaining the equipment and the customers' payments to Simply Green increase every year.
Retired police officer Brian Trainor says there are some simple rules when dealing with a stranger on the door step. First, do not let them inside; they can make their sales pitch right there on the threshold, and second, do not agree to anything immediately. Once the contract is signed, it's too late.
"Buyer beware. Know what you are getting into, do not be pressured. Take your time," Trainor said.
The Saskatchewan Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority says complaints about high pressure door-to-door sales tactics are on the rise.
Spokesperson Matt Barton says while the watchdog can't do much about contracts fairly reached and fairly honoured, the province can take action if deception can be proved.
"If you are engaging in misleading, deceiving or taking advantage of consumers through unfair contracts, we can go after you," Barton said.
Over the past several months, CTV News has been in communication with Simply Green's chief compliance officer, Alfred Apps.
Apps says the company has never used deception. In fact, he implies his company may also be a victim of misinformation. He says both Simply Green’s door-to-door salespeople and equipment installers are third-party agents, and Simply Green’s head office in Ontario is not always privy to what is being said or done in its name.
But Apps also maintains the contracts are legally binding, and customers must honour the contracts they signed. He says efforts are ongoing to resolve the problems, but he has also threatened to make customers pay any legal fees Simply Green" incurs due to what he calls "groundless" complaints.
But it turns out Beckel's complaint may not have been groundless after all. After CTV News started looking into his complaints Simply Green agreed to cancel his contract and remove the furnace. However, Beckel still has to pay for the damages to his chimney himself. He says his experience has permanently soured him on anyone selling things door-to-door.
Based on a report by CTV Regina’s Dale Hunter
