BlackburnNews.com file photo. (Photo by Mike James)BlackburnNews.com file photo. (Photo by Mike James)
Chatham

Residents Concerned About Furnace Sales

A Chatham-Kent based company is trying to warn local residents about door-to-door furnace sales.

Ron Postma with Postma Heating and Cooling says the sales people are using the same story. "They're telling you that you have black ABS pipe on your furnace venting, which is illegal, and you need to put a new furnace in," says Postma. "How they're saying that exactly I'm not sure but that's the gist people are getting, that they have to replace the furnace and if they don't replace the furnace they are going to have to report them, because somehow they're affiliated with the government."

Postma says the complaints he received this week were from residents in Ridgetown and the Chatham area who felt pressured to commit. He says those people are getting quotes at almost $160/month for the furnace rental for ten years, with an annual increase of over 3%. He adds that he's been told these types of company's stay in one area for only a few days before word travels about their business practices and move on to another region.

Requests by BlackburnNews.com to speak to a manager or the president of the company in question were denied. BlackburnNews.com has also contacted the government's complaint watchdog to see if any grievances were previously filed by consumers.

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