• Contract concluded in person
• Contract concluded by phone or online

Concluding a detailed agreement with the merchant selling you a heating or air conditioning system is to your benefit. The more details your contract contains, the better informed you will be regarding what to expect.

Contract concluded in person

The Office de la protection du consommateur recommends that you always request a written contract from the merchant selling you a heating or air conditioning system. This will allow you to have and maintain proof of your agreement. A written contract will make it easier to assert your rights if you are not satisfied with the company's services.

The contract does not have to adhere to a specific form, except :

• if it is an instalment sale (if you are financing your purchase);
• if you are doing business with an itinerant merchant.

Useful information to be included in the contract

Make sure that everything that was promised by the merchant is included in the contract, along with all important details.

The contract should include :

• the merchant’s name and address;
• the license and permit numbers, if they are required;
• the scheduled start and end of work dates;
• information about the warranty;
• a statement in which the contractor commits to abide by the municipal regulations and the National Building Code standards;
• the contractor's liability insurance policy number and the name of the insurance company;
• a detailed description of the work to be done, along with the type and quantity of materials to use (make sure to append the estimate to the contract);
• the total cost and the terms of payment.

To ensure the work will be done within the specified time limits, ask for the following note to be added to the contract: " The work will be completed before or on (date); otherwise the merchant will refund the down payment paid by the client. ".

If the merchant promised you would benefit from energy savings, request that they include the exact reduction in consumption in the contract.

Check the length and the coverage of the warranty offered to you, and whether the installation of your appliance is covered by the warranty. Ask to have these items indicated in the contract.

Make sure to add a note mentioning the contract total includes the removal of construction debris at the end of the project.

Contents of a contract concluded with an itinerant merchant

Did you conclude a contract with an itinerant merchant? A heating or air conditioning system vendor is considered an itinerant merchant if they solicit your business outside of their actual offices, for example, if they come to your home without your requesting it.

The law prescribes that such a contract must be concluded in writing and that it includes all mandatory information. For further information, refer to the page What a contract with itinerant merchant contains.

A contract concluded with an itinerant merchant can be cancelled within 10 days.

For further information about cancelling this type of contract, refer to the page Cancelling a contract concluded in person.

Contract concluded by phone or online

If you plan on choosing a merchant over the phone or online, know that the law provides that a distance contract must be provided in writing.

Information to obtain before signing a contract

Before concluding a contract, the merchant must provide certain mandatory information. For example :

• their name, address, phone number and, if available, their fax number and email address;
• a detailed description of the products and services offered;
• the total amount you will need to pay and, if it applies, the amount to be paid on periodic payments;
• the terms of payment;
• the start date of the appliance installation work;
• the duration of the appliance installation work;
• the cancellation terms, if they are provided for;
• any other condition or restriction that applies to the contract.

Transmission of the written contract

The contractor must provide a written contract within 15 days after you entered into an agreement. This will allow you to verify whether the contract's contents correspond to the offer that was made to you. The contract must be presented in a way that allows you to hold on to it.

Content of the written contract

The contract must include your name and your address, the contract signature date, and all the other mandatory information the merchant must provide before you enter into an agreement.

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