Unveiling Ontario’s Water Heater Rental Scam: Consumers Forced to Turn to Media as Government Ignores Top Complaint

When people keep having to go to the media about the same consumer issue, it indicates that the problem is persisting without an effective resolution from other channels or authorities. Here’s just some of the updates:

2013:

• Water Heaters Make the Top Two in the Complaints Department

2016:

• MPP Wants to Ban Door-to-Door Furnace, Water Heater Sales to Crack Down on Aggressive, Coercive Tactics

2017:

• Ottawa Class-Action Lawsuit Against Condo Developer Theberge
• New Homeowners Frustrated After Receiving a Bill for a Water Heater Rental They Knew Nothing About
• Water Heater Company Penalized Over Allegedly Aggressive Sales Tactics
• Propane Company Picked Wrong Geek

2018:

• Water Heater Green Planet
• Marketplace Investigates Enercare, One of Canada’s Biggest Home Services Providers
• You Can Buy Your Dream Home, But Hot Water Heater Only for Rent
• Tankless Water Heaters May Be a Hot Idea, But the Cost Savings Aren’t

2019:

• Home Warranty Corporation Tarion Favors Builders Over Homeowners: Auditor

2020:

• Unraveling the Truth Behind Hidden Fees for Rented Home Appliances

2021:

• Watts Heater FloodSafe Connectors Class Action Settlement
• Lindsay Scam Victim Warns Other Residents of Door-to-Door Energy Companies
• Stratford Lawyer Helping Homeowners Fight Back Against HVAC Rental Scams
• Putting Out the Fire

2022:

• Hidden Cameras Capture Deceptive Tactics Used to Sell Overpriced HVAC Contracts
• Go Public: Collection Agency Rental
• The Ontario HVAC Rental Scam
• Homeowners Burned by Water Heater Scam
• Be Wary of Getting Burned by Water Heater Scam, Victim Warns
• Ontario Family Pays More Than $4,000 Renting Water Heater for 28 Years
• Ontario Homeowners Could Have a Lien Placed on Their Home and Not Even Know It
• Marketplace Confronts HVAC Company
• Ontario Energy Board Warns of Scammers Impersonating Its Employees
• Family’s Gas Supply Cut Off After Saying They’re Leaving Rental Contract

2023:

• Enbridge Customers Say They Are Being Charged for Enercare Services They Didn’t Ask For
• Ontario Homeowner Shocked It’s $17k to Buy Out AC and Water Heater Contract
• Seniors, Mortgages, Marketplace
• The Real Cost of Renting a Hot Water Tank
• U.S. Plans Water Heater Standards, Says Will Save Consumers $11 Billion Yearly

Here’s additional news coverage shedding light on the lethal risks of water heaters, such as burn dangers, Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks, carbon monoxide poisoning, and catastrophic explosions. Given the severity of these risks, there is an urgent need for increased awareness and promotion of alternative solutions, such as federally subsidized tankless/ heat pump water heaters.

1. ConsumerAffairs: Whirlpool Settlement
2. Bay State Gas Class Action Settlement
3. BBC News: Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak
4. NPR: Water Heaters Set Too High Increasing Burn Risk
5. Stuff: Legionnaires’ Disease from Hot Water Cylinder
6. Stuff: Legionnaires’ Bug Present in Hot Water Systems
7. CPSC: Rheem Water Heater Recall
8. Global News: House Explosion Allegedly Due to Water Heater
9. CBC News: Tankless Water Heater Safety
10. Consumer Reports: AO Smith Water Heater Recall
11. Yahoo News: Navien Tankless Water Heater Recall
12. Freep: Legionella Bacteria and Water Heaters
13. CTV News: Fire at Apartment in Sudbury
14. Plumbing and HVAC: Giant Factories Gas Water Heater Recall
15. Montreal Gazette: Death from Legionnaires’ Raises Questions
16. NJ Health: Warning About HVAC Systems
17. Forbes: Addressing Hot Water Burn Risks
18. CBC News: House Explosion in Calgary
19. Hotel Management: Legionella Mitigation Options
20. KROC News: Water Heater Suspected in Home Explosion
21. WEAU: Legionnaires’ Disease Cases in Care Facility
22. Fox17: Condominium Fire Potentially Caused by Faulty Water Heater
23. Top Class Actions: Gas-Fired Hot Water Boiler Recall

Sign & share the petition: https://www.change.org/p/end-hot-water-tank-rental-scams-in-ontario