Answers to the Questions We Hear Most Often

In 2018, Ontario amended its Consumer Protection Act to include stronger protections for homeowners who enter into agreements for items deemed essential to the home, such as furnaces, water heaters, and air systems. These amendments specifically address the high-pressure door-to-door sales tactics that had been used for years to lock homeowners into unfair long-term contracts. They provide grounds for having these agreements declared invalid.

We are a homeowner advocacy and case management service. We review your HVAC agreement against the six key breaches under the 2018 amendments, gather your evidence, prepare all documentation, and act as your authorised agent in negotiations with the finance company and the HVAC contractor. When legal action is required, we assign a licensed legal representative to your case. We manage the entire process from start to resolution.

We built a digitised platform that handles the most time-consuming parts of contract resolution — evidence gathering, document preparation, and case organisation. This technology allows us to do in hours what traditionally takes weeks of billable lawyer time. When a licensed legal representative is needed, they receive a case that is already fully prepared, so their involvement is efficient and focused.

Yes. Your first conversation with us is completely free and confidential. We review your situation, explain whether any of the six breaches apply, and give you an honest assessment of your options. There is absolutely no obligation to proceed.

Yes. Under Ontario law, when an agreement is resolved due to breaches of the Consumer Protection Act, you keep the equipment that was installed in your home. This applies to furnaces, water heaters, air systems, and other home equipment. This is one of the clearest provisions in the law and it applies in every case we handle.

In many cases, yes. When breaches of the Act are established, the law allows for the recovery of damages and, where court proceedings are involved, court costs. We will give you an honest assessment of what is likely in your specific situation during your free consultation.

In most cases, your agreement is actually held by a finance company, not the HVAC contractor that installed the equipment. The contractor typically installs the system and then assigns the agreement to a finance company that collects your payments and holds the registration against your property. This is why calling the installer often leads nowhere. Oakwell addresses both the finance company and the HVAC contractor as part of your resolution, because dealing with both is necessary for a complete outcome.

Once you are working with us, we handle all communication with the other parties as your authorised agent. You do not need to speak with them directly. If they contact you, simply let us know and we will take it from there.

Completely. And we want you to know that there is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about. These agreements are specifically designed to be confusing, and the sales tactics used are deliberately high-pressure. Thousands of Ontario homeowners are in the same position. Reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Every situation is different. Many cases are resolved within a few weeks through negotiation. Others, particularly those that require legal proceedings, may take several months. Our digitised process is designed to move things as quickly as possible. We will give you a realistic estimate based on your situation and keep you updated at every stage.

No. We are a homeowner advocacy and case management service. We are not a law firm and we do not provide legal advice. We act as your agent, prepare your case, manage negotiations, and coordinate with fully licensed, independent legal professionals when legal action is required. This model is what allows us to make the process affordable for Ontario families.