Homeowners warned not to hire door-to-door driveway pavers

Homeowners say they learned the hard way not to hire door-to-door pavers. CTV’s Alexandra Holyk reports.

Guelph Police are warning residents about door-to-door salespeople offering to do home renovations or repave driveways for cash after receiving multiple complaints from unhappy customers.

James Blewett, who lives in the city’s east-end, said he is one of them.

“I was sitting on the front porch, and there’s a gentleman that came around and he had some conversation with me over my driveway,” he told CTV News on Friday. “Said, ‘It’s not straight. It’s sub-quality. Would you be interested in redoing it?’ I said, ‘Yes, I am, what would the price be?’ And he quoted $3,500, all complete with the removal of the old driveway.”

Once work was done, they left within minutes.

But there was one big problem.

“My old driveway was still on the road,” Blewett said.

Besides the pile of rubble in front of his home, his driveway wasn’t what he expected.

“It’s cheap looking and I’m not happy with it,” he explained. “This wouldn’t be a $3,500 job, this would be a $500 to $1,000 job.”

Blewett was not the only victim.

Jennifer Mason also took them up on their offer. Workers began to repave her driveway, while she went to pick up the cash from the bank.

“When I came back there were five police cars,” Mason said.

The Guelph Police Service said they were alerted to some “suspicious males” going from home to home to solicit work. Officers found the five men working at Mason’s home and questioned them.

They said none of the workers spoke English but, through a translator, it was explained the men wait every morning at a Toronto coffee shop for contractors, who drive up and offer them cash for various jobs.

According to police, the men had no training or experience.

“None of them really knew how to do driveway repaving or how to operate the equipment,” said Scott Tracey, a spokesperson for Guelph Police.

They also did not know the city they were working in.

“The ‘bosses’ were not on scene and the workers, believing they were not going to get paid, left the job unfinished,” police said in a media release. “A pickup – believed to belong to one of the bosses but registered to a New York rental company – was parked illegally and was towed by bylaw.”

Mason was left with a half-done hack job.

“It sounded too good to be true,” she told CTV News. “I didn’t listen to my gut instinct, and I should have googled their company business, which wasn’t on the trucks, and they didn’t have a card.”

Mason was lucky police arrived when they did, because she had not yet paid for the work.

Police said some of the homeowners “were misled into believing the men were representing the City of Guelph or an approved city contractor.”

Residents told officers the salespeople going door-to-door had strong Scottish or Irish accents. One was thought to be from Newfoundland.

While Mason and Blewett weren’t happy with the work, police said there’s not much more they can do.

“It’s a big of a gray area for us in terms of whether it’s a fraud or not,” said Tracey. “We don’t believe it’s a criminal investigation based on everything we’ve heard so far.”

Reporting problems

Guelph Police shared the following advice for anyone approached by a door-to-door salesperson using high-pressure tactics:

• Be suspicious of any unsolicited offers or claims from unknown individuals.
• Obtain at least three quotes from reputable companies before entering a contract.
• Check online reviews, licenses and Better Business Bureau ratings before hiring any contractor. Also consider asking for references.
• Take your time to read and understand any contract before signing and never feel pressured to make an immediate decision. Speak to family members or a trusted friend to see if they express any concerns.
• Consult with your insurance company about coverage and ensure the contractor is working in compliance with your policy.

Anyone who believes they were a victim of fraud is advised to contact their local police department or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.