ELORA – Two hydro operations in Wellington County have issued warnings about people selling electricity contracts door to door, and they have Centre Wellington Mayor Joanne Ross-Zuj’s support.
She brought a notice issued by Centre Wellington Hydro Ltd. and Wellington North Power Inc. to the township’s committee of the whole meeting on Aug. 8.
The notice states: “If you choose to sign a contract for electricity, make sure you take the time to fully understand what you are signing. Centre Wellington Hydro and Wellington North Hydro want our customers to know we are not going door to door selling electricity contracts.”
The notice added that local customers “never have to sign anything for smart meters. You don’t have to show your bill to anyone at the door.”
There have been complaints for years about hydro retailers going door to door using less than stellar ethics and tactics. Some look at hydro bills, forge signatures and are gone by the time the customer learns about being locked into a long-term contract.
In one instance, one woman was able to get out of the contract because her husband had died two weeks before the forged date on that contract.
Getting out of those contracts can be expensive and time consuming. There were so many complaints about energy company sales tactics the province finally set some tougher rules to protect consumers a few years ago, but there are still complaints.
The notice also stated that to compare hydro rates with those being offered at the door, people can visit www.cwhydro.ca and follow the link on the home page, or they can visit http://www.ontarioenergyboard.ca/OEB/Consumers/Electricy/Yours+Utility.
Ross-Zuj urged everyone considering an offer for hydro at their door to visit those sites and to compare their current local rates with what the retailers are offering.
“You will be amazed at the final outcome – and how it compares to Centre Wellington Hydro,” she said.
She has had a visitor at her door telling her how much more expensive the local hydro is costing her. It was a bad move. Ross-Zuj sits on the Centre Wellington Hydro board.
