Beware tricksters behind water heater fraud

[scotto]

By Ellen Roseman
Toronto Star
There's a war being fought to win your water heater rental business and the tactics aren't always pretty.

New competitors – such as National Home Services, LivClean and MorEnergy – are sending agents to your door to check out your hot water tank. They may leave the impression they're with your current supplier, but their goal is to get you to switch.

Direct Energy and Reliance Home Comfort, which dominate the water heater rental business, are accusing their new rivals of lying and misrepresentation.

"Knock knock. Who's there?" say Direct Energy ads now running in newspapers and on the radio.

After giving the answers ("Iva got something important to tell you" and "Noah all the facts about your water heater"), the company says what's going on is no joke.

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[Sharla1]

I had a man come to my house over a year ago asking me if I wanted a free hot water heater. I told him no and closed the door. I haven't seen them come around since. No idea who he was working for. I didn't give him the time to tell me.

 

[scotto]

I own my water heater as the rental cost didn't make sense, but I have yet to have one of those guys show up at my door asking about my unit. I have had many of the gas and hydro ones show and almost demand to see my bill, then I ask them to leave my property. Some are very agressive, so when I seen this article I figured there will be another wave of guys wanting to see my bill or in this case, my water heater.

 

[Sharla1]

Agressive is the right word for these morons. I peek out the door now to see who is there. If I don't know them, I don't open the door. Nor do I answer the phone to any 800/866 numbers.

 

[Sharla1]

Here is some comments on a consumer forum. Very interesting info. I really like her site. She tells it all.

http://www.ellenroseman.com/?p=581#comments

 

[Sharla1]

Here is another good consumer site.

http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/pages/default.aspx

 

[scotto]

Here is another good consumer site.

http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/pages/default.aspx

There some really good tips at this Site! Sharla, did see anything on the water heater salesmen?? I looked at many of the links and didn't see any, you would think so with all the publicity lately.

 

[Sharla1]

They finally put a link on that site about the water heaters.

http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/Consumer_Alert_Water_Heater.aspx

 

[scotto]

They finally put a link on that site about the water heaters.

http://www.sse.gov.on.ca/mcs/en/Pages/Consumer_Alert_Water_Heater.aspx

Better late than never....
I am still waiting for the scam to go through my neighbourhood

 

[Sharla1]

I'm sure it will happen in time. It seems worse with businesses that work on commission.