Consumer Protection Act -Part I

I speak to a Ducana Windows sales
rep on the phone. We agree on a time
and date for the sales rep, I'll
call Joe to meet at my home. Joe
arrives at my home promptly on
Friday August, 29th, 2008. He was
just as pleasant in person as he
was when I spoke to him on the
phone. He appeared to be a nice
guy. While he was in my home my
opinion of him later dimmed, but
I'm not going to post why.

There were two men doing work at my
next door neighbour's home. One of
the men knocked on my door while Joe
was still in my home and asked that
my husband move his vehicle. Joe had
his car parked half on my neighbour's
driveway and half on my driveway. I
told the guy, he's not my husband, he's
a sales rep from Ducana. I asked Joe to
move his car. He did.

So we wrapped up the order and Joe left.
A couple hours later, I head out. I return
a few hours later. The two workers are still
at my neighbour's. As I'm walking up my
driveway, the older of the two, calls me
over. He points to the work that he
and his partner were doing for my
neighbour. He then asked me how much Ducana
was charging me for the windows. I tell him
and a knowing look passes between him and
his partner. Then he tells me that he and
his partner put in the windows in my house.
He said it was Ducana Windows that they
replaced. He said that Ducana was charging
way too much. He then gives me an estimate
of how much they would charge. Of course
it's much lower. I ask the name of the company
they work for and the older gentlemen says,
Northstar, as in NorthStar Vinyl Windows and
Doors

The NorthStar workers mention a government
program. They tell me that I could get $30.00
from the provincial government and $30.00
from the federal government for each window I
replace. My neighbour overhearing the conversation,
(that's what she said) comes out of her house
to add to the discussion.
They tell me that all the window businesses know
about the government program and the Ducana rep
should have told me. They suggest that I cancel
my order with Ducana. And that's exactly what I
did.


FYI


Did you know that under Ontario's
Consumer Protection Act, if you make
a purchase or sign a contract in your
home and then change your mind you have
within 10 days to notify the company
of your change of heart. The 10 days
is referred to as the cooling off
period. It's best you do so in writing
by fax or registered mail. Once the
company has been notified, it has 15
days to return your money.

Ministry of Small Business and
Consumer Services
http://www.gov.on.ca/MGS/en/ConsProt/050451.html