Dealing with Aggressive Salespeople

Police frequently receive calls from residents complaining about door to door salespeople who are aggressive and don’t seem to want to take “No” for an answer. Under the Safe Streets Act it is an offence in Ontario to solicit in an aggressive manner. The definition of aggressive includes “to continue to solicit a person in a persistent manner after the person has responded negatively to the solicitation”. Residents should also be wary of door to door salespeople who advise they are entitled to enter the home. If in doubt, contact the municipality, company or police. The person can be charged if you are willing to provide a statement. Under Ontario law, if you sign a contract in your home you can cancel within 10 days. Do not feel pressured into signing anything; some residents have signed a document, only to find it is in fact a contract. There are further safeguards for consumers who purchase items or services via door to door sales through the Consumer Protection Act. Visit Ontario.ca/consumerprotection for more information, or call the Consumer Services Bureau at 1-800-889-9768