Comment on the fine for violating the ’10 Day Contract Cooling Off Period’

In our last E-News, we talked about a London, ON renovation contractor who was heavily fined for violating a customer’s legal right to a “10 Day Cooling Off Period” after signing a contract.

Here is a response from reader/contractor Joe….

This is where the contractor went wrong. The Ontario Consumer Protection Act (OCPA) states: “In cases where consumers sign a contract for $50 or more, at their home, the act provides for a 10-day cooling-off period to cancel a home renovation contract without cancellation fees.”

In my opinion, the OCPA should be rewritten… but our Ontario politicians’ brains are apparently short-circuited.

Now, when no money has exchanged hands, OK have a cooling off period of 10 days or more. But when money enters the picture, in the case of the customer cancelling the contract, the contractor should be compensated for the material already purchased plus labour and fees. All of this should be declared in the contract.

Protection under the law should be for everyone, including trades, small businesses, large businesses and so on. Not just the consumer. But apparently some have more equality then others.

Joe