Province prohibits unwelcome, door-to-door sales of household energy products

Ban on door-to-door energy sales The province is cracking down on high pressure sales tactics and banning door-to-door sales on energy products. Alesia Fieldberg has more…

Alberta consumers will no longer have to contend with high-pressure practices from energy salespeople who come to their homes unsolicited after the province announced that it will ban door-to-door sales starting in January.

The ban covers the unwanted sale of a number of products including; furnaces, hot water heaters, air conditioners and windows. Natural gas and energy contracts and energy audits on homes will also be prohibited.

“We heard loud and clear from Albertans who are frustrated by knocks on their doors and aggressive sales pitches in their homes. That’s why we’re taking action to protect Albertans by ending aggressive door-to-door energy sales,” said Stephanie McLean, Minister of Service Alberta.

The province says it has received over 1000 energy contract complaints about:

Seniors are often the targets of these types of sales and officials say many feel tricked into buying products on the spot.

“The RCMP welcomes this change. Our investigators have helped Albertans who have succumbed to fraudulent, high-pressure sales at their door. Real financial and emotional harm is often the result from these tactics, particularly among vulnerable persons in our communities. With this ban, we expect to see a noticeable decline in criminal incidents of unscrupulous, door-to-to-door sales of energy products,” said Superintendent Guy Rook, Alberta RCMP Officer in Charge, Federal Enforcement.

In April 2015, Ruth Zinck was signed up for an energy contract that used the name of her deceased husband.

“I was unaware of this until the next day when I opened my computer and saw an email from the company he represented and discovered that I had a contract with them. I had not signed it, I had not said verbally, I would be interested in them, and yet I had a contract,” said Zinck.

She didn’t lose any money in the deal but it did become a fight to cancel the contract and return her to her original service plan.

“Through a friend and a registered letter, which I sent to the company, and several other communications, I was able to get out of this difficulty but it was scary. I have become very apprehensive about anybody coming to my door,” she said.

“He was intent on misleading her. Even though she said no to him, he signed her up for an energy contract that she didn’t want,” said McLean. “It wasn’t right and it was done without her knowledge and consent.”

The door-to-door, unsolicited sale of energy products will be prohibited after January 1, 2017.

The province says energy companies still have a number of way to make the sale including; telephone and online sales, kiosks and advertising and that consumers still have the option of inviting salespeople to their homes.

Consumers can call the province’s consumer protection line at 1-877-427-4088 or file a complaint online with Service Alberta if they have concerns about door-to-door sales.