The Canadian Home Improvement Credit Corporation (CHICC) has been ordered to refund around $113,000 to affected B.C. consumers within 90 days in a door-to-door seller investigation.
“CHICC is Canada’s preferred rental & home improvement financing company. Whether you are a homeowner or business partner, we pride ourselves on our personalized service and customer support,” CHICC’s website states.
Consumer Protection BC (CPBC) identified 53 customers whose contracts didn’t include the total contract price, which is required by law.
“It was alleged that nine of those consumers were contacted by the debt collector, and five paid more than they owed,” CPBC said.
Under the agreement with CPBC, CHICC must refund customers, cancel certain contracts, remove any liens or charges that were created under those contracts, change its business practices, and pay over $21,000 to cover CPBC’s inspection costs.
“Consumers have a right to know the full cost of a contract before they sign and to be treated fairly when debts are collected,” said Louise Hartland, director of Public Relations for CPBC, in a statement. “This undertaking delivers meaningful remedies for affected consumers and requires important changes to CHICC’s business practices.”
CPBC is advising customers who have a contract with the B.C. door-to-door seller to review it and to determine whether the total contract price was disclosed. CPBC says that under the undertaking, consumers whose contracts don’t include the total contract price may be entitled to a cancellation of the agreement.
“This case highlights risks that can arise when consumers enter financed direct sales contracts without clear information about the total cost,” Hartland said.
She added, “Upcoming changes to BC’s consumer protection laws will make at-the-door financing unlawful, and if it happens in our province, we want to hear about it.”
You can find more about the investigation on the CPBC website.