New Brunswickers urged to exercise caution when dealing with door-to-door salespeople

An image of someone knocking on a door in March 2018. (Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk)

New Brunswickers are being urged to be cautious when dealing with door-to-door salespeople, also known as direct sellers.

There have been reports of several direct sellers operating without a licence, according to the Financial and Consumer Services Commission of New Brunswick.

Additionally, the commission says there have been reports related to “misleading promotion of home services and equipment through social media ads, telemarketing calls and door-to-door sales.”

The commission says all direct sellers must be licensed and carry their licence when doing business.

“These licensing requirements help protect consumers by ensuring that direct sellers have been properly vetted,” reads a news release from the Financial and Consumer Services Commission.

To verify if a direct seller has a licence before making a purchase, New Brunswickers can search the commission’s Direct Sellers Database.

The commission suggests New Brunswickers:

• ask questions
• avoid feeling pressured to make a decision
• do research

New Brunswickers who have experienced high-pressure or deceptive sales tactics from a direct seller are encouraged to report it to the commission. Those tactics can include:

• offering free inspections, consultations, or prizes for home visits, with the intent of soliciting a sale once there
• misleading consumers by implying that the individual works for a municipality, a provincial organization or a utility company
• saying it is a “one-time offer only” or “available now”
• misleading consumers by implying that the condition of their home or equipment in their home is dangerous or has rendered the home unsuitable for living in and requires an immediate repair or replacement

The commission says the law allows consumers to cancel a direct sales contract, for any reason, within 10 days of receiving their copy.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.