SAANICH, BC – September 3, 2025 – If you signed a lease for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit, also known as HVAC, you may be entitled to money, lease cancellation benefits or both, from a class action settlement approved by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
Consumer Protection BC is urging any homeowner who signed a lease for an HVAC or HVAC equipment between July 17, 2013, and January 15, 2025, to file a claim with the trustee overseeing the class action. While the vendor who leased the equipment did business under several names including Simply Green Home Services, Crown Crest, Sandpiper Energy Solutions, or HCSI Home Comfort, anyone who leased HVAC equipment during the timeframe is encouraged to see if they qualify for a claim. The deadline to submit a claim is October 2, 2025.
The lawsuit alleges the companies breached consumer protection laws by collecting money from homeowners under lease agreements and registering a Notice of Security Interest, or NOSI, on a consumers’ home, among other things. More than $30 million has been set aside for consumers, as well as other benefits, including a court order to remove the NOSI.
While Consumer Protection BC is not involved in the class action, in 2020 the regulator banned Simply Green Home Services from door-to-door sales in BC for one year after a rash of consumer complaints against the company. Consumer Protection BC found the company engaged in deceptive business practices and Simply Green did not give customers the refunds they were entitled to under the law.
In February 2025, the BC Government announced changes to the Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act to strengthen consumer protection by targeting unfair contract terms and predatory sales practices. This includes a ban on direct sales, or door-to-door sales, of heating and cooling equipment and other high-cost household products. Consumer Protection BC is working closely with the Ministry of Attorney General to prepare to implement these changes.
More details about the class action lawsuit as well as contact information and frequently asked questions are available at hvacleasingsettlement.com.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Louise Hartland,
Director, Public Relations
media@consumerprotectionbc.ca
236-664-1626
About Consumer Protection BC
Consumer Protection BC is a not-for-profit regulator responsible for overseeing specific industries and consumer transactions in British Columbia. The organization’s mandate includes licensing and inspecting regulated businesses, responding to consumer inquiries, investigating alleged violations of consumer protection laws, and classifying all general release motion pictures.
With a focus on fairness and accountability, Consumer Protection BC works to ensure consumers are informed and protected. For more information, including recent enforcement actions and details about inspection and complaint-handling processes, visit www.consumerprotectionbc.ca. The organization also shares valuable consumer tips and resources through its blog and social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.