*SCAM ALERT* - National Home Services

**FLEX** · 05-19-2009, 11:27 AM

I wanted to alert my fellow Ontarians of a scam we became aware of yesterday.

One or more employees of National Home Services will attend at your house and tell you that Enbridge is changing the rental water heaters because the existing ones are out of date due to new "Energy Star" requirements that they do not meet. They will ask to see your bill and the water heater to ensure that they can remove the old one and install the new one. They will tell you there is no cost to you and that they will give you 2 months of free rent for the inconvenience.

I asked them 3 times if they were switching us to a new company and they lied each time. I said "But I've never heard of National Home Services". They said "We supply Enbridge with the water heaters for their rental program. You pay them, then they pay us. You're not switching companies. We're the equipment division. You're already our customer. It's just transparent when you pay your bill."

They're liars!

This is a big scam to get you to switch your water heater rental to this new company, which locks you in for 15 years.

Send these guys packing!!! Don't sign anything.

If you already did, you have 10 days to cancel with no penalty according to the Consumer Protection Act, 2002.

Here's the story in the Toronto Star, which I wished I had read before yesterday:

http://www.thestar.com/article/463378

I am not the type of person to buy anything from someone selling door to door. These guys flat out lied and said this was a "replacement program" from our existing water heater rental company due to new energy compliant regulations.

At first I didn't think anything of it, but then became more skeptical by the time they left. I knew about the 10 day law when anyone approaches you in your home, so I figured go ahead and sign it in case it's legit, but call Enbridge in the morning. If it is legit, all is good. If not, then cancel it. Took about 30 seconds online to find out it was a scam.

-=FLEX=-

**Magnum P.I** · 05-19-2009, 11:33 AM

Send them to my door, i have a heater unit that i need replace,but it does not heat water. But i will take them in the basement and let them look at it and sample a few hot peices from it.....

**JJS** · 05-19-2009, 11:40 AM

You guys rent your water heaters??

**FLEX** · 05-19-2009, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by JJS

You guys rent your water heaters??

Yes. I have no idea why, but that's pretty much how it's done most of the time when they build new houses.

I guess we could ask for the rental to be removed and purchase one, but it's just one of those things...it's about $20 a month on the gas bill. I guess if we planned on living here forever we would do that, but otherwise it would be a waste of money to buy one and pay to have it installed, because if we move we'd be right back renting one again, most likely.

-=FLEX=-

**JonW** · 05-19-2009, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by JJS

You guys rent your water heaters??

Yeah, what's up with that? Renting it sounds like a scam to me. At $20/mo, your payback on buying one would only be around 24 months (depending on model) and the things last for a minimum of 10 years. Plus, they are incredibly easy to install.

**Magnum P.I** · 05-19-2009, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by JJS

You guys rent your water heaters??

Paid for ours right from the purchase of the house, but i am now debating a tankless water heater,hmm..

**Cam** · 05-19-2009, 12:45 PM

So do you guys also have rent your crappers too??.

**carchitect** · 05-19-2009, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by Magnum P.I

Paid for ours right from the purchase of the house, but i am now debating a tankless water heater,hmm..

Depending on the size of your house you may want to look at a couple of smaller localized tankless heaters.

Tankless are most efficient when they are considered in the design or renovation of a house. Not so much when a large tankless unit is just plopped into the spot of the tanked heater.

**JonW** · 05-19-2009, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Cam

So do you guys also have rent your crappers too??.

No, those are leased on the "pay as you go" plan!

**boggart** · 05-19-2009, 01:01 PM

What about sinks, do you rent those?

**IES99** · 05-19-2009, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by JJS

You guys rent your water heaters??

That shocked me, too. I bought one about 15 years ago and paid about $240 installed back then (it still works fine). 15yearsx12 monthsX$20=$3600. They are making a killing!.

**NC-SXT** · 05-19-2009, 01:14 PM

I needed a new one and installed it myself. Doesnt take much to cut power and water to it, empty the old one, then install the new one. Just a couple of hrs for the novice.

**Go Mango** · 05-19-2009, 03:37 PM

Jim, WTF (West Toronto fanatics) you doing? Letting our buddies south of the border into our secret rental scams?
Denroy, careful buddy they are doing the door to door sales too.

**Super T** · 05-19-2009, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by Magnum P.I

Paid for ours right from the purchase of the house, but i am now debating a tankless water heater,hmm..

If you're electric, be advised they're a fairly large load... and like George said, a central one isn't so much efficient, you'd want one per bathroom, one for the kitchen.