A salesman comes to your door and you buy. What are your rights if you change your mind? Chris Olsen has one woman's fight to get her money back.
In late April Carol Maitland was doing a little gardening when she was approached by a contractor.
"He spoke to me and said, ‘Well have you ever thought of resurfacing the stucco on your house?" she said.
His estimate was nearly $9,000 and she said no thanks. Maitland says two days later he returned unexpectedly.
"He said ‘I've been thinking about it and since I'm doing a job down the road I can do it for $7,000,'" she said.
She says he followed her inside and drew up a contract.
"He said all I would have to do is write him out a deposit cheque for $3,000," Maitland said.
She says she felt unsettled by the experience and called to cancel just a few hours later and asked for a refund.
"He told me it didn't matter what lengths I went to or how long it took me or who I contacted he was never giving me back the deposit."
Maitland sent him a registered letter and has had no response.
"I don't know why I wrote the cheque. I absolutely don't know why," she said.
CTV News asked Manjit Bains of Consumer Protection BC what rights you have if a contractor approaches you on your property.
"You can cancel the contract within 10 days for any reason at all," Bains said.
And get a full refund in 15 days. There are also limits on the size of the deposit.
"The business cannot demand a payment in excess of $100 or 10 per cent of the value of the contract -- which ever is least," Bains said.
Maitland's $ 3,000 deposit was well over that.
CTV consumer reporter Chris Olsen tried phoning the contractor Craig MacIntyre of Factory Save Exteriors and was told he'd be in at 2 p.m.
At the designated time Olsen approached a man outside the address listed on the contract. The man told CTV News he was not Craig McIntyre and walked into the residence.
When Olsen called back, Craig McIntyre admitted he was the man he had approached outside. He says he hasn't done anything wrong.
"I cold knock when I am in areas for work. It's not illegal, I'm not doing anything illegal to do business like that," he said.
When he was reminded of B.C. laws around door-to door sales he said he knew them all.
"Bottom line is what is it going to keep you from going on a making a big issue out of this because what is the use of me paying her back if you are just going to go and slander my company on TV?" he said.
Craig McIntyre says he's been in business 23 years. He blames Maitland.
"I think the great lesson for her is not to go around signing contracts," he said.
Maitland has now complained to Consumer Protection BC. She is asking for its help in getting her money refunded as she believes is required under B.C. law.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Chris Olsen
