Overview
It’s important to know your rights when you make a purchase, sign up for a membership or sign a contract. Learn about consumer rights and find the information you need to protect yourself and be consumer wise.
Learn about common scams, how to identify them, and what to do if you’ve been a victim of a scam.
Memberships and contracts
Know your rights when signing up for fitness, sports and other prepaid services, including how to cancel a contract if you change your mind. These services are known as personal development services under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, including:
- health or fitness club memberships
- diet counselling
- talent development, modelling lessons or “personal representation” by an agency
- sports club memberships, dance lessons or martial arts training
Signing and cancelling a contract
You have a right to cancel a personal development services contract within 10 days of signing up, regardless of what the contract says. These contracts must also offer monthly payment options.
Gym memberships
You have a 10-day cooling-off period to cancel any membership contract to a gym, sports club, martial arts centre or dance studio. All contracts must end after 1 year but may be renewed.
Financial rights
Payday loans
You have 2 business days to cancel a contract for a payday loan for any reason and without penalty. A lender cannot charge more than $14 for every $100 you borrow or provide a second loan until the first one is paid in full.
Collection agencies
A collection agency must send a written notice by mail or email first and then wait 6 days before trying to collect or demand payment. While collection agencies are generally allowed to contact you only 3 times in a 7-day period, if you do not answer a collection agency’s calls, and they do not leave a voicemail, it does not count as contact.
Consumer reporting agencies
Consumer reporting agencies collect information from sources, such as banks, credit card companies and mortgage providers to create and maintain consumer reports. This information may be provided to businesses and individuals for certain purposes, such as determining whether to lend money or enter into a tenancy agreement.
You can request your consumer report and score:
- online once per month free of charge
- by phone or mail twice per year free-of-charge from Equifax or TransUnion
You can also:
- dispute any inaccuracies or incompleteness of the information
- place a security freeze on your Equinox or TransUnion consumer file free of charge — even if you haven’t experienced identity theft or fraud and wish to use it as a preventative measure
Shopping and entertainment
Know your rights when shopping online or buying event tickets. Learn about refund policies and check for additional charges.
Online shopping
Never use a public Wi-Fi network when shopping online. Before you complete your purchase, the online confirmation page must show you an itemized list of your purchases and allow you to review the contract and correct any errors. You must be provided a written copy of the contract within 15 days.
Buying tickets to concerts or events in Ontario
Before you buy, make an informed decision about how much you want to pay for your ticket to a concert, cultural, sports or other live events.
Ticket businesses must display the original total price of the ticket, including any fees, service charges and taxes, as well as the seat location, if there is one. All amounts must be listed and charged in Canadian currency.
Resale tickets
It is illegal for individuals and businesses to resell tickets or facilitate their resale for more than the original total price paid to the primary seller. The only added costs can be the applicable taxes and the resale platform’s standard service fees.
If buying a resale ticket, have the seller give you either a written money-back guarantee if you cannot use the ticket to access the event, or a written confirmation from the original buyer that the ticket is valid.
Avoid buying a resale ticket if either a money-back guarantee or a confirmation of the ticket’s validity is not available.
Home and car
Know your rights when making big purchases, home renovations and buying a vehicle.
Home renovations and repairs
If your contract includes an estimate, the contractor cannot charge you more than 10% above the estimate cost, unless you and your contractor agree that the scope of the project has changed and they provide you with a new contract.
Hiring a roofer
Make sure to get a written estimate, check your roofer’s references and do not pay more than 10% for a down payment. If you sign a contract with a roofer at your home, you have 10 days to cancel a signed contract without penalty.
Hiring a mover
If your moving contract includes an estimate instead of a final price, you can’t be charged more than 10% above the estimate. You have 10 days to cancel a moving contract that was signed in your home, regardless of the reason.
Buying a vehicle
The advertised price of a motor vehicle must include all charges and fees (except taxes) related to the purchase or lease of a vehicle.
Unless they are invited to your home by scheduled appointment, a door-to-door salesperson is not allowed to sell you certain major appliances, such as a furnace, air conditioner or water heater, softener or air purifier.
If you do make a purchase, make sure to get a detailed written contract with a cost estimate, completion date and specific information about the goods and services.
You have 10 days to cancel a contract signed with a door-to-door salesperson without penalty, and you can cancel an agreement within 1 year if the business or salesperson made a false or misleading statement about the contract.