DIRECT ENERGY SCAM
Definition of scam: a
confidence game or other fraudulent scheme, esp. for making a quick profit; swindle.
WARNING!
This information may be
very upsetting to home owners!
Rip offs disguised as Enbridge benefits!
I recently got a flyer in my Enbridge gas bill
all about the Direct Energy Maintenance Plans. First let me clarify that Direct Energy is NOT Enbridge,
they just pay to put their flyers in with your gas bill
each month.
At first glance at the flyer I thought, wow,
a home protection plan so I don’t have to worry about any future repair expenses… It sounded too good to be
true… and guess what? You won’t believe the
truth!!!
After an hour of research online I finally
found the disclaimers hidden in the terms and conditions that go with Direct Energy Maintenance Plan and read
the fine print.
Please note the disclaimers are NOT written anywhere on
the flyers so if you don’t go to their website to download the 11 pages of information you will
never know the truth about their Maintenance Plan.
PLUS: Direct Energy does not tell you where the
disclaimers are located – so if you aren’t computer savvy, odds are you will never find them. The
disclaimers are buried in their “terms and conditions”.
Anytime you see a star or cross or some
other small mark at the end of a word there IS a disclaimer somewhere that tells you the complete
story.
So what did I learn?
Please note that if you bought
this plan and didn’t read the fine print then this report is really going to upset you – you’ve been
had! These kinds of misleading activities should be
illegal!
Here it is line per line quoted right from the “Direct Energy Maintenance Plans” pdf
file from their website. I have highlighted their text in Red so you will know exactly what words came
from their program.
Direct Energy offers you:
TOTAL HOME
PROTECTION PLAN
Total Home Protection
Plan $37.99* p/month = total $455.88 p/year plus tax
See a complete
break down of exclusions at the end of this list of options.
INCLUDES: Furnace (NOT boilers)
Full coverage
for parts and labour covered under the plan*
(See details below there
are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for
every service call on this plan)
No
extra charges for after-hours or weekend repairs
(See details below
because YOU PAY for every service call under the plan)
Does NOT include annual maintenance
(See add on services for additional fees)
INCLUDES: Plumbing & Drain coverage
Full coverage for parts and labour covered by the
plan*
(See details below there
are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for
every service call on this plan)
One-time diagnosis and clearing for exterior blocked
drains
(One time only and
YOU PAY for this service call)
Full coverage
for blocked toilets, interior drains, showers, sinks, and...
(See details below there
are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for
every service call on this plan)
Adjustment of
problem parts, piping and drains to your home
(See details below there
are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for every service call on this plan)
INCLUDES: Kitchen and Laundry Appliance Coverage
Up to 100% replacement depending on the age of your
appliance*
(See details below
there are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for every service call on this plan)
Coverage for separate stove tops and wall ovens
(See details below there
are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for
every service call on this plan)
No extra charges for after-hours or weekend repairs
(See details below
because YOU PAY for every service call on this plan)
INCLUDES: Electrical
Coverage
No charge for parts and labour covered by the plan*
(See details below there
are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for every service call on this plan)
Repairs to your wiring, switches, outlets and electrical panel
(See details below
there are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for every service call on this
plan)
Full replacement
of electrical parts covered under the plan
(See details below
there are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for every service call on this
plan)
ADD ON COVERAGE that you pay MORE
for:
Cooling Protection Plan – add on against equipment breakdown of AC equipment for $5 more per month.
Add $60 plus tax EVERY year to your plan (this
price WILL go up)
(See details below there are MANY EXCEPTIONS)
(YOU PAY for every
service call on this plan)
Cooling Maintenance Plan – includes ONE cleaning and safety
inspection of your AC inside and out for $9.99 per month.
This is a ONE time
maintenance that cost you an additional cost of $9.99 per month and if you don’t book it you loose it –
it will not be carried into the next year if you fail to schedule.
Add $119.88 plus tax
EVERY year to your plan (this price WILL go up).
Furnace Maintenance Plan – includes
ONE cleaning and safety inspection per year at an
additional cost of $9.99 per month.
This is a ONE time
maintenance that cost you an additional cost of $9.99 per month and if you don’t book it you loose it –
it will not be carried into the next year if you fail to schedule
Add $119.88 plus tax
EVERY year to your plan (this price WILL go up).
Boiler Maintenance Plan - includes ONE cleaning and safety inspection
per year at an additional cost of $12.99 per month.
This is a ONE time
maintenance that cost you an additional cost of $12.99 per month and if you don’t book it you loose it –
it will not be carried into the next year if you fail to schedule
Add $155.88 plus tax
EVERY year to your plan (this price will go up).
Fireplace Maintenance
Plan – includes ONE safety inspection & cleaning of
burner per year for ONE fireplace at an additional cost of $9.99 per month PER fireplace.
This is a ONE time
maintenance that cost you an additional cost of $9.99 per month for EACH fireplace in your home and
excludes cleaning chimney or care for the chimney or liner.
Add $119.88 plus tax
EVERY year to your plan for EACH Fireplace in your home (this price will go up).
Add $239.76 plus tax if
you have (2) two fireplaces in your home
Add $359.64 plus tax if
you have (3) three fireplaces in your home
OK so lets total up the cost of
the Plan:
Initial plan $455.88 plus
tax
Add on Cooling Protection: $60.00 plus tax
Add on Cooling Maintenance: $119.88 plus tax
Add on Furnace Maintenance: $119.88 plus tax
Add on ONE Fireplace Maintenance: $119.88 plus tax
Annual cost of the Plan with all
the basic extras:
$875.52 plus GST
= $919.30 (this price will go up each year)
And if you have a boiler instead of
a furnace your Plan with all the basic extras is:
$911.52 plus GST = $957.10 (this
price will go up each year)
It’s a bit pricy when you add
them all together but does it really give you stress free security?
Not hardly!
Let’s look at their terms and conditions all 10 pages of it in
very tiny print to find out the real story…
Plan coverage applies only to single family
residence.
So far so good, but if you
use your home for business your equipment may not qualify for the coverage.
It says they “will diagnose and repair equipment in accordance with the terms and conditions as long as the
equipment is: “Properly installed and in proper working order on the Effective Date”.
This means that if your
equipment was improperly installed or it isn’t working properly on the effective date it WON’T be covered –
YOU PAY all costs associated with this service call and repairs.
“If a payment is
overdue by more than thirty (30) days, we may terminate your plan without refund to you of any amounts you have
already paid”
Don’t be late with ONE
payment or YOU LOOSE your plan and YOU PAY the full cost of the annual plan and you get
no service!!
“A service charge of $45 plus GST applies for EACH service call made under the
plan.”
YOU
PAY$45 plus GST every
time you use your protection plan!
”Service charges will apply separately for service calls made
under each type of plan in this package”
So YOU PAY $45 plus
GST for each and every category problem you have EVERY time you use your protection plan! Call for 2
problems and you pay $90 plus GST!
“If you cancel prior to
the Anniversary Date of your plan or if we cancel your plan because a payment is overdue by more than thirty
(30) days, any payments owing on the annual premium becomes due”
What this means – if you
cancel OR if you are late paying your bill, YOU OWE the full amount for the entire year! Regardless
of how much time you have remaining on your Annual Plan.
Under their: “Parts and Removal Warranty (all plans except Electrical Protection Plan and Appliance Protection
Plan)”. “All parts we remove from your home in connection with the installation of a replacement part becomes
OUR property, and you assign to us any assignable warranties available from any manufacturer or supplier of such
removed parts”
So they get to make the
warranty claims on YOUR parts and they get to pocket any refunds they get from those
parts.
Under “Warranty and Liability” they write “We are NOT liable for
losses or damages resulting from misdiagnosis or delays in completing diagnosis or repairs. If we fail to
correct a repair problem covered by your plan or if a replacement part fails, our sole liability will be to
correct the problem and, if necessary, to provide an additional replacement part.”
What they are saying
is:
If their diagnosis causes
problems that damage your property, YOU PAY for all damages.
If you have to take
additional time off work to be home so they can come back YOU PAY for all lost
wages.
If it takes them weeks or
months to finally resolve the problem, YOU PAY for whatever it costs to temporarily find solutions to
whatever they are fixing. (i.e.: such as temporary heaters plus the increased cost of utilities during their
use.)
OK take a deep breath
because now we get to the really upsetting news:
Under “Heating Protection Plan Equipment Coverage”:
The following are NOT eligible for
coverage:
heat pumps, equipment serving more than three
dwelling units, equipment using conversion burners (boilers), the conversion burner itself and ductless,
wall unit, heat pump and high velocity units.
For eligible
Heating Units the following is a list of parts
not covered by the Plan: Heat exchanger, heating coil (for air handlers),
heating sections (for boilers), firebox/combustion chamber, furnace filters, low and high water cut-off
valves, external metal or plastic venting and all associated parts, external drain tubing and all associated
parts, external line/low voltage wiring, condensate pumps, back check valves, batteries for programmable
thermostats and boiler feed valves.
Ancillary equipment
such as air conditioners, humidifiers and air cleaners, parts added on to your heating unit to accommodate
such equipment, or repairs to your heating unit made necessary as a result of faulty ancillary equipment are
excluded from
coverage.
Under “Cooling Protection Plan Coverage”:
The following are NOT eligible for
coverage:
Natural gas
powered, ductless, wall unit, heat pump, water cooled units, high velocity air conditioning units and
any air conditioning unit that is not easily accessible by our Authorized Repair Technicians including, but
not limited to, air conditioning units that are located in crawl space or attic, or require the use of a
ladder to gain access.
Ancillary equipment
such as furnaces, humidifiers and air cleaners, or repairs to the cooling unit made necessary as a result of
faulty ancillary equipment is excluded from coverage.
Cost of refrigerant
recovery, vacuuming and refill are excluded from coverage.
We are
not responsible for
insufficient air distribution due to existing ductwork design or clogged ductwork.
Additional cleaning
that is required due to insufficient maintenance prior to joining the plan is excluded from coverage and
will be charged to you at our
standard labour rate plus GST at the time of repair.
Under
“Plumbing Protection Plan Coverage”:
Your plumbing and
drain system must be in accordance with your local Plumbing Code in order to be eligible for
coverage.
(NOTE: The code changes each
year so odds are something won’t be up to code)
Plan coverage does
NOT cover permanent repairs. If
permanent drain repairs are necessary we will provide a written estimate. No further work will be performed
on the drain until proper repairs have been made in respect to the problem originally
diagnosed
(YOU PAY or YOU
FIX or plan service stops & you pay for plan in full anyway)
Plan
does NOT
cover the following
items:
·
Faucet repair including but not limited to
the repair or replacement of washers and/or cartridges in taps;
·
Faucet replacement;
·
Annual or routine plumbing inspection or
cleaning of drains or catch basins;
·
Changes to or problems with municipal water
services;
·
Repair or replacement of fixtures or
equipment, water heaters, water softeners, water filtration systems, septic systems, sink basins, toilet seats,
toilet tanks or bowls, moving parts within a toilet tank, bathtubs, showers, bidets, boilers, boiler piping
and valves, radiators, radiator piping and valves, humidifiers, hot tubs, swimming pools, out-building supplies,
decorative garden features, rainwater downspouts or eaves troughs, weeping tiles, backflow preventor, radiant in
floor heating and saniflow electrical units for toilets and repairs made necessary as a result of faulty fixtures
or equipment;
·
Repair or replacement of sump
pumps;
·
Repairs of below grade
drains beyond a one time auger and camera scope of each below grade drain;
·
Repair or replacement of motors, heaters,
jets or related piping provided to bathtubs, hot tubs, or swimming pools;
·
Appliance piping/drains, heating equipment
piping/drains, or septic systems or their outflow pipes;
·
Pipe replacement required where pipe
design/integrity has resulted in poor pressure (e.g., from the calcification of galvanized or lead piping or
integrity problems related to hard water);
·
Drain piping repairs caused by improper
installation or settling;
·
Replacement of galvanized, lead, cast iron
or non-pex plastic piping; and
·
Mobile homes.
(Note: bolded items are the most
common plumbing problems in homes with the addition of leaks and they are NOT covered in this
plan)
Under “Electrical Protection Plan Coverage”:
Exclusions: Fixtures, ceiling fans, doorbells, alarms, remote controls, intercoms, knobs,
buttons, caps, hinges, handles, central vacuum systems, aluminum wiring, knob and tube wiring, inadequate
wiring capacity, circuit overloading, power failure, power surge, direct current (DC) wiring or components,
electrical appliances and garage door openers.
Decorative or
specialty switches, outlets, and receptacles are not covered by the Plan and will be replaced with standard
white or beige switches, outlets or receptacles. We
are not responsible for upgrades or for the cost of construction, carpentry, or other
modifications made necessary by existing equipment or installing different equipment.
Under “Appliance Protection Plan Coverage”:
Clothes dryer
excludes: Clogged duct or venting, roller or leveling
feet, glass displays, light bulbs, grates, caps, fabric softener/bleach dispenser, venting, lint screens,
and damage to clothing.
Clothes Washer
excludes: Clogged drains or lines, external hoses,
roller and leveling feet, glass displays, light bulbs, grates, caps, rinse aids, fabric softener dispenser,
plastic mini-tubs, soap dispensers, filter screens, and damage to clothing.
Dishwasher
excludes: Clogged drains or lines, roller or leveling feet,
glass displays, light bulbs, grates, caps, rinse aids, racks and baskets.
Kitchen
Refrigerator/Freezer excludes: Clogged drains or lines, condensation pans, liner
cracks not deemed as manufacturer’s defects by one of our Authorized Repair Technicians, roller and leveling
feet, glass displays, light bulbs, grates, caps, racks, shelves, interior thermal shells, stand-alone
freezers, ice cube makers and beverage dispensers which are not factory installed and/or an integral part of
the appliance.
Range/Oven/Cook
top (gas or electric) excludes: Clocks or LED displays (unless they affect the
function of the oven) microwave ovens (unless it is an integral part of the oven), meat probe assemblies,
rotisseries, racks, light bulbs, shelves, roller or leveling feet, grates, burner bowls, glass displays,
glass or ceramic tops (unless deemed to be a thermal crack by our Authorized Repair Technician) and trays;
sensi-heat burners will only be replaced with standard burners.
Replacement
options: In
the event that a replacement part is not available during the coverage period or our Authorized Repair
Technician determines that it is not commercially reasonable to repair the appliance, we may, at our option,
choose to provide you a residual allowance to aid in the purchase of a new appliance.
See “Product Residual Amount” chart
for limits in amount allowance.
If the specific exclusions
weren’t enough with each plan they also include a…
GENERAL
EXCLUSIONS APPLICABLE TO
ALL PLANS:
Warning: This is another huge list of all the
things they DON’T cover in their plan:
Your Plan does not provide any coverage other than as specified
above. In th3e event there is a question regarding whether a specific service or repair is covered under the
Plan, following a thorough diagnosis, our onsite Authorized Repair Technician will make the final
decision.
(Did you notice that they don’t
have their technicians do the work, they subcontract the work out to an “authorized repair technician” from a
different company? In addition you pay $45 for that Technician to tell you whether or not the problem is covered
(which it usually isn’t).
No service or repairs under this Plan
will be providedin
the event that our Authorized Repair Technician refuses to enter a residence due to the presence of animals,
insects, or unsafe conditions including Equipment that is not easily accessible by our Authorized Repair
Technician (e.g. Equipment located in crawl spaces or attics or requires the use of a ladder to gain
access)
Do you have a dog or cat – guess
what, they can use your pet as an excuse not to honor the Plan! Did you remember to shovel the snow from your
driveway? If not they can use that as an excuse not to honor the Plan. How about access to the equipment (most
is located in the basement in a small space) they may deny you service if you don’t have an easy path so they
can access the equipment. They have made sure that the Repair
technician has the final say which you pay $45 just to get that answer.
Your Plan specifically does NOT cover any costs, including diagnosis and
service, repair, parts replacement or adjustment in the following circumstances;
·
Repairs to equipment used for commercial applications;
·
Repairs needed because of design faults or faults which existed before your Plan
became effective; (how in the heck do you prove this?)
·
Repairs needed as a result of abuse, tampering, alterations or repairs by persons
other than us; (so if they won’t fix one part, and you hire a
professional company to fix that one part, they can deny service to the whole thing?? Where’s the logic in
this?)
·
Repairs needed as a result of accidental or deliberate damage, loss, theft, freezing
weather conditions, subsidence, structural repairs, fire, lightning, explosions, earthquakes, flood, storm, acts of
war or other insurable risks; (so if your boiler breaks down and your
pipes freeze and burst, they will not only NOT fix your furnace if it is the pump, but they also wont repair the
frozen pipes, or replace the electrical panel that shorted out from the water…nice!)
·
The
thermostat is not at the proper setting; (note: they don’t bother
telling you what the proper setting is)
·
The
pilot light has been extinguished by someone other than one of our Authorized Repair
Technicians; (so if you get a gas leak in your home and Enbridge
turns your gas off and turns off your pilot light, they just negated your Plan with Direct energy because Enbridge
is NOT their Authorized Repair Technician).
·
The
household electric fuse or breaker required for the Heating Unit or Cooling Unit is
blown; (so you pay
for the repairs, the Plan doesn’t pay)
·
The
Heating Unit or Cooling Unit has been turned off; (ok so your unit
starts making strange noises or starts producing smoke so you turn it off and call a repair man – but since YOU
turned it off the repairs are NOT covered by the plan)
·
The
problem relates to improper sizing or application of the equipment; (the Ontario Building Codes change annually and what
was an appropriate size even one year ago may not be the legal requirement now, odds are you have something in your
home that met code when installed but no longer meets code now so they are excluded from your Plan, YOU pay
again!)
·
Renovation related work; (better not
add that additional bathroom in the basement, or any other renovation to your home even if it is performed by a
licensed contractor meeting all Ontario Building Codes because you just lost your Plan – you still have to pay for
all your repairs!)
·
The
costs of redecoration and restoration costs required as a result of any work performed in connection with the Plan,
including, but not limited to, wall coverings, drywall, plaster, wallpaper, paint, floor coverings, tile,
cabinetry, counter tops, landscaping, or repair of any structural or cosmetic defects. If it is necessary for us to
dig on your property in connection with work performed in connection with the Plan, we will fill any holes and
leave the ground level or mounded, but we will not restore the original surface or
construction; (that’s quite the list!)
·
Loss
or damage to property caused by the heating, cooling, appliance, electrical or plumbing or drains system breaking
down (e.g. damage to furniture caused by water leaks). (OK this is
standard policy for most contractors, but what happens when their “Authorized Repair Technician” causes the problem
that led to the property damage, after all they don’t work for Direct Energy or Enbridge – they are third party
contractors insured by????)
·
Repairs needed if we have previously advised you that permanent repairs are needed to
ensure your system is in good working order; (for example if they
tell you that you need to replace your furnace because it may not last another season, they wont do any repairs on
that furnace on this Plan – you must pay for any and all repairs required)
·
Repairs needed as a result of lack of reasonable maintenance (e.g.; pipe bursts due
to cold weather or inadequate heating within the home or equipment failure due to a lack of regular filter
replacement); and (OK so where is the list of reasonable maintenance
required to meet this Plan – they don’t give you one giving them just one more loop hole out of paying for any
repairs)
·
Pre-existing defects or deficiencies in existence or which have previously been repaired
during the first 30 days prior to the Effective Date.
The Plan does NOT
cover:
·
Parts and Components not specifically listed in these Terms and Conditions or that relate to a
manufacturer’s part recall;
·
Providing for or closing access to covered items, except as noted in these Terms and
Conditions;
·
Service or repairs of Equipment that are related to inadequacy or lack of capacity,
improper installation, previous repair, design, or any modifications to the system or appliance, unless performed
by us under these Terms and Conditions; (Hey! Wait a second!
Direct Energy does NOT perform repairs, they hire Authorized Repair Technicians – so is this just another loop hole
for not paying?)
·
Electronic, computerized or energy management systems or devices, lighting and
appliance management systems such as “Smart House”; (warning: most
major appliances HAVE computer components including thermostats, furnaces, water heaters, ranges, ovens, washers,
dryers, etc…)
·
Service, maintenance, repair, or replacement necessitated by any loss or damage resulting from
any cause other than normal usage;
·
Loss or damage due to chemical or sedimentary build-up, misuse or abuse, unauthorized repair
by others, failure to clean or maintain the Equipment, rust, corrosion, insect infestation, mould, mildew or
bacterial manifestation, missing parts, structural change, fire, freezing, electrical failure or surge, water
damage, lightning, mud, earthquake, soil movement, windstorms, hail, theft, negligence, intentional acts, riot,
accidents, pet or pest damage, acts of God, or failure due to excessive water pressure or any other perils are
not considered loss or damage by normal use;
·
Parts, units, Components, and/or any subassemblies that are covered by a manufacturer’s,
contractor’s, builder’s, or installer’s warranty or program of reimbursement;
·
Upgrades or for the cost of construction, carpentry or other modifications made necessary by
existing Equipment or installing different Equipment;
·
Preventative Maintenance;
·
Consumable items, including but not limited to bulbs, lamps, filters and fuses;
and
·
Replacement of spoiled food as a result of failure of Equipment or electricity
outage.
It then goes on to mention Building and Zoning Code Requirements or
Violations, Hazardous Materials, and Miscellaneous as if everything already listed wasn’t enough
loop holes to get them out of ever paying for any repairs.
SO WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN TO YOU THE CONSUMER?
You are
being ripped off!
This is how it breaks down:
On average the typical house in
Ottawa may have $300 to $1000 in annual repairs & maintenance. Even if you pay for these repairs in full you
are still better off than paying for their Plan and odds are you will be saving money in the
process.
For example:
Bob is a typical married man who
owns a single family home. The first 3 years he spends $300 in annual maintenances (furnace cleaning, ducts,
chimney at 2% annual increase), in the 4th year he has to replace a hot water tank at $900.00,
in his 5th & 6th year he again spends $300 in annual maintenance each year.
Then in year 7 his entire furnace dies and has to be replaced at $3,600.00. In year 8 the toilet breaks so he
spends an extra $200 on top of his $300 annual maintenances. In year 9 and 10 he spends $300 in annual
maintenances just to keep things running well.
So here’s the math ($300 in regular
maintenance at 2% annual increase):
Year 1 - $300.00
Year 2 - $306.00
Year 3 - $312.12
Year 4 - $318.36 + $900.00 hot
water tank = $1218.36
Year 5 - $324.72
Year 6 - $331.22
Year 7 - $337.84 + $3,600 replace
furnace = $3937.84
Year 8 - $344.59 + $200 fix toilet
= $544.59
Year 9 - $351.48
Year 10 - $358.50
TOTAL Bob pays out of pocket WITHOUT the Plan: $7984.83 + taxes
Let’s See His Savings With the
Total Home Protection Plan:
(you can assume this plan will go
up in price at least 2% p/year)
Year 1 -
$875.62
Year 2 - $893.13
Year 3 - $910.99
Year 4 - $929.20 + $45 service fee
to find out they don’t cover your hot water tank + $900 for the replacement hot water tank =
$1874.20
Year 5 - $947.78
Year 6 - $966.73
Year 7 - $986.06 + $45 service fee
to find out they wont replace your furnace + $3600.00 for the furnace replacement = $4631.06
Year 8 – $1005.78 + $45 service fee
to find out they wont replace the guts on your toilet + $200 in repairs = $1250.78
Year 9 – $1025.89
Year 10 -
$1046.40
TOTAL Bob Pays with their “plan”: $14,422.58 +
taxes
If Bob bought their Plan he would have paid over
$6,000 more than he actually needed to!!
Why?
Why does it
cost more to have a protection plan that is suppose to protect you from additional
expenses?
One more thing - they also reserve
the right to cancel your policy if you actually use it (meaning you are out your fees for the entire year when
they cancel it) just like auto insurance.
The truth is these “plans” are
designed to make their company money, NOT to provide you with what you really need in home expense
protection.
Like all insurance companies, they are counting on making money off of the people who never make claims (or
can’t make claims because those things that break down the most aren’t covered) – but they CAN’T legally call it insurance because then they would have to meet
much stricter rules and they would have to advertise their disclaimers up front – so they use the word
“plan”.
Here is their “Plan” - SCAM YOU OUT OF YOUR
MONEY!
I am
actually ok with businesses making money – what I have issues with is businesses making gross amounts of money
by misleading their customers into thinking they are “safe & secure” only to find out that they
aren’t!
They
aren’t selling you a protection plan because they care about you or your home – they are in this business to
make money; easy money with very little risk! They are selling you a FALSE SENSE
OF SECURITY INSURANCE.
The average home owner who “thinks” everything is
covered by this amazing Plan is the one who pays the most!
Consumers Wake-up!
It’s time to be aware of what is really going on in the world and how companies are taking
advantage of you.
Here’s the truth…
These kinds of so called “Protection Plan” (or “False Sense of
Security Insurance Policy”) should be illegal!
- They should NOTbe able to send out flyers in our utilities bills giving us the impression that the
utility company is offering the program.
- They should NOTbe able to offer one thing but put the disclaimer print somewhere else. The disclaimers
should HAVE to be included in their advertising materials!
- They should NOTbe misleading customers into thinking their policies cover “everything” when it clearly
states in their terms and conditions that it doesn’t. It’s simply wrong!
Even the wording is a blatant
lie– they say “NO CHARGE” then in the fine print state
every call is charged $45.00. How is $45.00 a NO
charge? It is a charge you pay every time you use the
Plan!
If you are tired of being misled by false advertising notify your Better Business Bureau – if
we don’t take a stand against this kind of immoral abuse of consumers it will continue to
spread.
Speak up for your rights as a
consumer and let businesses know you won’t tolerate this kind of abuse anymore.
We can make a difference by
promoting consumer awareness!
If you have any comments or
suggestions please address them to Kay@consumerswakeup.com your questions and ideas help me in preparing and presenting material
that you (my neighbor) may want to know about (or need to know about). You are the reason that I write these
articles.
Disclaimer: I have one too!
This report is based on my personal
interpretation of the terms and conditions as Direct Energy clearly outlines at http://www2.directenergy.com/ontario/home/pdfs/5n1bundle_TandC.pdf
I welcome rebuttals as well as
additional supporting information.
Author: Kay Kinder
Consumer Advocate
www.ConsumersWakeup.com
Written: March 20, 2009
About the author:
Kay Kinder
Occupation: Freelance writer & advocate for online consumer awareness
Personal statement from Kay Kinder:
“I have been actively involved in the home improvement industry for decades and have
seen many changes over the last few years especially with the big box stores bringing in new merchandise that
doesn't meet our specific construction codes in Ontario. In particular some plumbing, heating, cooling &
electrical products are actually illegal for licensed technicians to install in Ontario (and I just found out
that this is also true in the US). Consumers need to know
what can be legally used and what can’t but the big box stores don’t tell you and I have real issues with
that.
I'm also passionate about consumer awareness as I
have been ripped off enough times over the years to make anyone scream! As a single mom raising two kids on my own it has been absolutely essential
that I pay close attention to all my expenses. One mistake can end up costing thousands in costly repairs later
in order to get your home back up to code.
I believe that if we educate consumers we arm them with the tools they need to make
educated decisions while putting companies back into the business of providing reliable service not just
selling any merchandise (legal or not).
I'm passionate about many things in life - family, faith, global health concerns,
environmental concerns, natural healthy living, and the quality of life we leave behind for our
children.”
Want to tell me your story – You can find me at:
Website: www.ConsumersWakeup.com
Email: Kay@ConsumersWakeup.com
Twitter: @KayKinder
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