Independent profile — not affiliated with Reliance Home Comfort

Reliance Home Comfort Reviews & Complaints

Reliance Home Comfort is a Toronto-based home services company that rents and sells water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners and related equipment and sells maintenance protection plans, mainly to Ontario homeowners. It is the trade name of Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership, which in 2014 signed a consent agreement with the Competition Bureau Canada, without admitting the Bureau's allegations, that set rules for its water heater returns and rental terminations in parts of Ontario for ten years, to November 2024, and required a $5 million penalty. 22 published complaint reports are linked to this profile. This page explains how to end a rental and return a tank, which Ontario rules apply and where to take a complaint.

REVIEWS & COMPLAINTS22on USAComplaints · none in last 3 yrs · latest 2014
WEBSITEreliancehomecomfort.com
HEADQUARTERSNorth York, ON
PROFILE CHECKED2026-10-28
Submit a Complaint Read reviews & complaints ↓ Official website ↗
EDITORIAL

Company Information

Legal name
Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership
Business type
Water heater and HVAC rental, protection plan and home services provider
Website
reliancehomecomfort.comSource: Reliance Home Comfort website, checked 2026-10-28
Headquarters
North York, ONSource: Reliance Home Comfort home page, checked 2026-10-28
Owned by
CK Asset HoldingsSource: CK Asset Holdings, infrastructure and utility assets, checked 2026-10-28
Owned by
CK Infrastructure HoldingsSource: CK Infrastructure Holdings, Reliance Home Comfort page, checked 2026-10-28

Reliance Home Comfort is a business name of Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership, the respondent in the 2014 Competition Tribunal consent agreement. Court and Electrical Safety Authority documents also use the name Reliance Home Comfort Limited Partnership. The Court of Appeal for Ontario described Reliance as a Manitoba limited partnership registered in Ontario.

  • Ownership: CK Asset Holdings states that it holds a 75 percent interest in Reliance Home Comfort, and CK Infrastructure Holdings states that it holds 25 percent.
  • Other names: BBB lists Union Energy, Union Energy Limited Partnership and UEI Financial among the business's alternate names.
  • BBB: a BBB Accredited Business since August 30, 2013; BBB's file on the business was opened in 2006.
  • Website: reliancehomecomfort.com.
  • Address: 2 Lansing Square, North York, Ontario M2J 4P8 is listed on the company's home page and its BBB profile; the mailing address is P.O. Box 2305, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7V5.
  • Phone: (888) 837-1451 for repairs and general inquiries; (866) 735-4262 for billing and move notifications, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern; (866) 767-1702 for water heater returns.
EXTERNAL SOURCE

Independent Sources

Shown for context — not merged with USAComplaints' own numbers.

BBBcomplaints in the last 3 years
574 reviews · 1,371 complaints · BBB business grade A+ · average customer rating 1.2 / 5
Trustpilot
2,168 reviews · TrustScore 4.3 / 5
CONSUMER ALLEGATION

Reviews & Complaints on USAComplaints

USAComplaints currently maintains 22 historical complaints about Reliance Home Comfort, published between 2002 and 2014. No approved complaints have been published on this site during the last three years. For a current reputation snapshot, see the independent sources on this page.

Show 15 more on this page
EDITORIAL

Complaint Themes

Rental terms and closing chargesSlow furnace and water heater repairsProtection plan billing and coverageBilling after cancelling

Themes summarize what people write about most often. One complaint can touch several themes, and some complaints (a positive report, or one later retracted by its author) fit none, so themes are not a count of complaints.

Had an experience with Reliance Home Comfort? Tell other people what happened.

Submit a Complaint
VERIFIED

Contacts

Customer service & general contact

Cancel, billing & returns

VERIFIED

Locations

  • Headquarters2 Lansing Square North York ON M2J 4P8
  • Mailing addressP.O. Box 2305 Oshawa ON L1H 7V5
EDITORIAL

Cancel a Rental and Return a Tank

Returning a rental water heater. The company's returns page sets out these steps:

  • Before removing the water heater, read the termination terms in your rental agreement; questions go to (866) 767-1702.
  • In Enbridge Gas areas, the account holder or an authorized agent should call (866) 932-5806 before removal to confirm the account and tank details.
  • Complete the online Notice of Termination with your name, Reliance account number and address, and choose Reliance pick-up at your address or drop-off at a Return Location; the company's site lists return locations.
  • A Pending Return Number is mailed to you within 2 days, or emailed if you give an email address. Keep it with your proof of drop-off.
  • If a new supplier or contractor acts for you, Reliance requires a valid agency agreement signed by the account holder, sent within 7 days of the earlier of the agency agreement date or the date of your new water heater agreement, and says it is not required to act on an agent's instructions without one.

The returns page does not list fees; those come from your agreement.

What the Ontario 84-month rental terms say. The company's terms page lists three Ontario water heater rental agreements: a non-term agreement, an 84-month (seven-year) term and a 120-month (ten-year) term. The 84-month document states:

  • The renter cannot end the rental during a Minimum Rental Term of 84 months unless the renter buys the water heater; after that the renter may end it if not in default.
  • Rent rises each January 1 by the greater of 3.5 percent and the Ontario consumer price index change, and Reliance may change fees and other terms by announcing them in advance in writing.
  • When a rental ends, the renter pays a drain and disconnect charge (currently $125) if Reliance removes the unit, or a pick-up charge (currently $65 for gas or $125 for electric) if the renter's own qualified contractor drains and disconnects it, plus the cost to repair the heater beyond normal wear and tear. A new account set-up fee is currently $35.
  • A renter who is not in default may buy the heater on an "as is, where is" basis by giving written notice at least 30 days ahead; the price is the depreciated fair market retail value, and all other amounts owing must be paid.
  • Reliance may register its interest in the heater against the renter or against title to the premises, at the renter's expense.
  • A seller of a home is released from the agreement only if the purchaser is told in the agreement of purchase and sale, Reliance is notified in advance and the purchaser agrees to rent the heater under the agreement, among other conditions.

Dollar figures are those printed in that document and may differ in an older or newer version; check the version you signed.

Read the rest of this section

The 2014 consent agreement and its end date. The consent agreement with the Competition Bureau ran for ten years from November 5, 2014, so its stated term ended in November 2024. During that term it capped exit charges (for example, a termination charge of no more than $40 for a heater more than one and less than ten years old) and set termination and return rules. It covered only the local Ontario markets where Enbridge, Inc. did not distribute natural gas, and it exempted rentals signed before November 5, 2014 with minimum 84-month terms, rentals Reliance acquired in portfolio purchases between January 1, 2007 and November 5, 2014, and water heater rentals originally made with National Energy Corporation or its affiliates. The returns page's step for Enbridge Gas areas is a current company instruction and does not tell you whether an address was inside the agreement's market. Today, rely on the terms in your own agreement and on Reliance's current returns page.

Rights set by Ontario law. For agreements signed at your home for furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters and similar products, Ontario's Consumer Protection Act gives a 10-day cooling-off period starting the day you receive a written copy of the agreement, and a one-year cancellation right if you did not get a written contract, the contract lacks required information or the business made a false or misleading statement about it (Ontario.ca). If you contacted the business yourself and asked for installation before the 10 days ran out, Ontario.ca says you may still owe some costs on cancelling, such as rental payments and removal expenses.

EDITORIAL

Where to Take a Complaint in Ontario

  • Start with the company, in writing. Call (888) 837-1451 (repairs and general questions) or (866) 735-4262 (billing and moves, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern), then put the complaint in writing through the feedback form on reliancehomecomfort.com or by mail to P.O. Box 2305, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7V5. Include your account number, the equipment, the dates and the amount in dispute, and keep copies. Consumer Protection Ontario recommends telling the business about the problem before filing a complaint.
  • Consumer Protection Ontario. The Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement takes free complaints online, by email to [email protected] or by mail to Consumer Services Operations Division, PO Box 450, Toronto, ON M7A 2J6; questions go to (800) 889-9768, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It may not be able to help with events more than two years old or with claims for damages beyond a refund of money paid, and it says it contacts complainants within 15 business days.
  • Competition Bureau Canada. Its complaint form is for suspected breaches of the Competition Act, such as misleading representations or anti-competitive conduct. The Bureau says it is not a consumer protection agency and cannot act on your behalf to obtain reimbursement.
  • Better Business Bureau. Reliance has an accredited BBB profile listed under North York, Ontario, where a complaint can be filed for BBB to forward to the company.
  • Door-to-door sales. Since March 1, 2018, section 43.1 of Ontario's Consumer Protection Act, 2002 has barred suppliers from soliciting or completing agreements at your home for furnaces, air conditioners, water heaters, water treatment products and similar items unless you started the contact and asked for a home visit. The Act makes such an agreement void; Ontario.ca adds that you can keep the goods without obligation, and that the business must reimburse third-party charges such as removal fees. Report a salesperson who came to your door to Consumer Protection Ontario.
  • Notices of security interest. Ontario's Homeowner Protection Act, 2024 became law on June 6, 2024. It bans new notices of security interest on title for consumer goods such as water heaters and furnaces and deems existing consumer notices expired; expired notices can still appear on title documents, but the land is not affected. Ontario.ca says no immediate action is needed and that a lawyer can file an Application to Amend the Register to remove an expired notice, for example during a sale or refinancing. The ban does not cancel the rental contract or the company's other rights under it.
  • Small Claims Court. Ontario's Small Claims Court hears claims up to $50,000, not counting interest and costs, the limit since October 1, 2025. Under Ontario's Limitations Act, 2002, a court claim generally has to be started within two years of the day you discovered it, so do not let a dispute with the company run past that deadline; get legal advice if it is close. Szilvasy v. Reliance Home Comfort, the leaking-tank case that ended with the Supreme Court of Canada refusing Reliance leave to appeal, began in Small Claims Court.
  • Outside Ontario. Reliance also serves cities in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The Ontario rules on this page do not apply there; contact that province's consumer protection office.
EDITORIAL

What Complainants Describe

22 published complaint reports are linked to this profile.

The reports describe experiences with the company's Ontario and Canadian operations between 2009 and 2014. Themes the writers raise include:

  • Rental terms and closing charges. Writers who bought a home with a rented furnace or water heater describe being told they must keep paying the rental or buy the equipment out, and describe set-up, cancellation and account closure charges. One writer says a rental of a few days produced charges for set-up, cancellation and rent.
  • Service delays. Several writers describe waits of days for a repair on a furnace or water heater in winter, repeated calls and visits without the right parts.
  • Protection plans. Some writers say they were billed for a protection plan they did not ask for or that it did not cover the repair they expected.
  • Billing after cancelling. Some writers say they kept receiving bills or fees after cancelling and returning equipment, or were charged in three-month blocks after asking for monthly billing.
  • Positive accounts. Other writers describe a fast furnace repair under a protection plan and a satisfactory furnace and air conditioner installation.

These are individual accounts posted by site visitors. They are allegations or opinions, not findings, and the company's side is not shown in them.

Other review and complaint sites. BBB, where Reliance Home Comfort is an accredited business, shows 1,371 complaints filed in the last three years, 363 of them in the last 12 months, and an average of 1.2 out of 5 from 574 customer reviews. Its claimed Trustpilot page, where the company invites customers to review, shows a TrustScore of 4.3 from 2,168 reviews, with 71 percent five-star and 19 percent one-star ratings; the company has replied to most negative reviews there. The two sites collect feedback differently, so their figures are not comparable with each other or with the accounts above.

EDITORIAL

Regulator Actions and Court Decisions

Competition Bureau Canada, 2012-2014. On December 20, 2012 the Commissioner of Competition applied to the Competition Tribunal alleging that Reliance's water heater return policies were an abuse of dominance that kept customers from switching to competitors (file CT-2012-002). The case ended in a consent agreement registered with the Tribunal on November 5, 2014. Reliance agreed to pay an administrative monetary penalty of $5 million and $500,000 toward the Bureau's investigative costs. The agreement bound the parties for ten years from November 5, 2014, so its stated term ran to November 2024. During that term, in the local Ontario markets where Enbridge, Inc. did not distribute natural gas, it required Reliance to accept a termination notice at any time by phone, fax, email or web form, to deal with a customer's authorized agent, to pick up or accept returned tanks within set time limits, and to limit exit charges to a short list of capped amounts, and it barred practices such as requiring authorization before a return and imposing unwarranted fees on customers who switched or cancelled. Rentals signed before November 5, 2014 with minimum 84-month terms, portfolios Reliance acquired from 2007 to 2014 and rentals originally made with National Energy Corporation were exempt from those rules. In the agreement Reliance does not accept the Commissioner's allegations, and nothing in it is an admission of facts, liability or wrongdoing for any other purpose. In its own announcement Reliance said it does not admit or accept the allegations and that the rental agreements of over 80 percent of its customers already complied with the changes.

Read the rest of this section

Other water heater companies. The Bureau's parallel case against Direct Energy Marketing Limited ended in an agreement with a $1 million penalty, announced October 30, 2015. EnerCare, which bought Direct Energy's Ontario water heater rental business, was not a respondent; it gave the Bureau commitments in November 2014 not to continue Direct Energy's alleged practices.

Electrical Safety Authority, 2023-2025. On or about November 30, 2023 the Electrical Safety Authority imposed a $3,500 administrative penalty on Reliance Home Comfort Limited Partnership for a contravention of rule 2-034 of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code; according to ESA's summary, a 20-amp breaker was used on a Toronto air conditioner installed in May 2022 where a 15-amp breaker was required. Reliance appealed on or about December 20, 2023, and in a consent order dated January 29, 2024 the ESA Review Panel reduced the penalty to $2,500, payable by February 2, 2024, and dismissed the appeal without costs. A later ESA summary dated March 5, 2025 lists two more contraventions, each with a $4,000 administrative penalty: failing to correct electrical defects at a home in Blandford-Blenheim, Ontario, as ordered by ESA on March 19, 2024 (ESA says none of the defects posed a hazard to life or property), and doing electrical work at a home in St. Thomas, Ontario, in June 2024 without filing a Notification of Work.

Court. In Szilvasy v. Reliance Home Comfort and the companion case Collett, homeowners sued in Small Claims Court for water damage caused by leaking rented water heaters, about 9 and 19 years old. The trial judge found Reliance liable, and the Divisional Court dismissed Reliance's appeals on December 7, 2011. On November 27, 2012 the Court of Appeal for Ontario decided the further appeal and dismissed it (2012 ONCA 821). It held that section 9(2) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 applies the Sale of Goods Act's implied condition of fitness to rented water heaters, that the Act applied even though the rental began before it came into force, and that a heater that leaks is not reasonably fit for its purpose, though it need not be as good as new. The Supreme Court of Canada dismissed Reliance's application for leave to appeal, with costs, on April 25, 2013.

PUBLIC RECORD

Court & Public Records

Commissioner of Competition v. Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership

Settled

Competition Tribunal of CanadaDocket CT-2012-002Source ↗

SettledThe Commissioner of Competition applied to the Tribunal alleging abuse of dominance in Reliance's water heater return policies. The case was resolved by a consent agreement registered with the Tribunal on November 5, 2014: a $5 million administrative monetary penalty, $500,000 toward the Bureau's investigative costs, and rules on rental termination, exit charges and tank returns in the local Ontario markets where Enbridge, Inc. did not distribute natural gas. The agreement bound the parties for ten years from November 5, 2014, so its stated term ran to November 2024. In the agreement Reliance does not contest the Commissioner's conclusions for the agreement's purposes but does not accept the allegations, and nothing in it is an admission of facts, liability or wrongdoing for any other purpose.

Szilvasy v. Reliance Home Comfort Limited Partnership (2012 ONCA 821)

Appeal decided

Court of Appeal for OntarioDocket C55214Source ↗

Appeal decided — see outcomeA homeowner won a Small Claims Court claim against Reliance for water damage from a leaking rented water heater, about 9 years old; the trial judge awarded $5,916.40 plus disbursements, costs and interest. The Divisional Court dismissed Reliance's appeal on December 7, 2011. On November 27, 2012 the Court of Appeal for Ontario decided Reliance's further appeal and dismissed it, holding that section 9(2) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 applies the Sale of Goods Act's implied condition of fitness to rented water heaters. Reliance then applied to the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to appeal; the Supreme Court dismissed the application for leave, with costs, on April 25, 2013 (case 35195), so the Court of Appeal's decision stands.
EDITORIAL

What Reliance Home Comfort Does

Reliance Home Comfort sells and rents residential water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners and heat pumps, and offers water purification, plumbing, electrical work, EV chargers and protection plans. CK Infrastructure Holdings describes its customers as homeowners primarily in Ontario; the company's site also lists service areas in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The company says it is headquartered in Toronto, has over two million customer relationships and more than 2,700 employees, and operates 28 branches in Canada and two locations in the United States.

When equipment is rented, Reliance keeps ownership of the water heater or furnace, the customer pays monthly rent, and the rental agreement sets the minimum term, the charges for ending it and the buyout price. The rental terms and complaint routes on this page are the Ontario ones.

VERIFIED

Company Relationships

  • Owned byCK Asset Holdings
  • Owned byCK Infrastructure Holdings
EDITORIAL

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I return a Reliance rental water heater?

The company's returns page says to review the termination terms in your agreement (questions: (866) 767-1702), complete the online Notice of Termination, choose Reliance pick-up or drop-off at a Return Location, and wait for a Pending Return Number, which is sent within 2 days. In Enbridge Gas areas, call (866) 932-5806 before removing the unit to confirm the account and tank details. If a new supplier handles the return, Reliance needs a signed agency agreement. Keep the Pending Return Number and proof of drop-off.

Can I end a Reliance water heater rental before the term is over?

The 84-month Ontario terms posted by Reliance say the renter cannot terminate during the Minimum Rental Term of 84 months unless the renter buys the water heater. The company's terms page also lists a 120-month term agreement and a non-term agreement, so check which version you signed. For an agreement signed at your home, Ontario law gives a 10-day cooling-off period after you receive a written copy, and up to one year to cancel if the contract lacks required information or the seller made a false or misleading statement about it.

What fees does Reliance state for removal and buyout?

In the 84-month Ontario terms, Reliance states a drain and disconnect charge (currently $125) if it removes the heater, or a pick-up charge (currently $65 for gas, $125 for electric) if your own qualified contractor drains and disconnects it, plus repair costs beyond normal wear and tear. A buyout is priced at the heater's depreciated fair market retail value, requires 30 days' written notice, and all other amounts owing must be paid. Figures can differ between versions of the agreement.

What was the Competition Bureau agreement with Reliance in 2014?

It settled the Competition Bureau's 2012 abuse-of-dominance application to the Competition Tribunal. Under the consent agreement registered on November 5, 2014, Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership agreed to pay a $5 million administrative monetary penalty and $500,000 toward the Bureau's investigative costs, and to follow set rules on rental termination, exit charges and water heater returns in the local Ontario markets where Enbridge, Inc. did not distribute natural gas. The agreement ran for ten years from November 5, 2014, so its stated term ended in November 2024; some older and acquired rentals, including those originally made with National Energy Corporation, were exempt. Reliance does not accept the Bureau's allegations, and the agreement is not an admission of facts, liability or wrongdoing for any other purpose.

Who owns Reliance Home Comfort?

CK Asset Holdings states that it holds a 75 percent interest in Reliance Home Comfort, and CK Infrastructure Holdings states that it holds 25 percent. The operating entity named by the Competition Bureau is Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership.

Can a Reliance rental put a lien on my house?

Reliance's rental terms say it may register its interest in the water heater against the renter or title to the premises. Since June 6, 2024, Ontario's Homeowner Protection Act bars new notices of security interest for consumer goods and deems existing consumer notices expired, so the land is no longer affected, according to Ontario.ca. Expired notices may still appear on title documents, and a lawyer can apply to remove one, for example during a sale. The ban does not cancel the rental contract itself.

Can Reliance sell water heaters or furnaces at my door?

Only if you started the contact. Since March 1, 2018, section 43.1 of Ontario's Consumer Protection Act, 2002 has prohibited suppliers from soliciting or completing direct agreements at a consumer's home for water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners and similar products unless the consumer initiated contact and asked for a home visit. The Act makes an agreement made in breach of that rule void, and Ontario.ca says you can keep the goods without obligation.

Where can I complain about Reliance Home Comfort in Ontario?

Write to the company first, through the feedback form on reliancehomecomfort.com or by mail to P.O. Box 2305, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7V5. If that fails, file a free complaint with Consumer Protection Ontario online or by email to [email protected] (questions: (800) 889-9768), and you can also file with BBB, where the company is accredited. The Competition Bureau accepts reports of suspected Competition Act breaches but does not recover money for individuals. Ontario's Small Claims Court handles claims up to $50,000, not counting interest and costs; a court claim generally has to be started within two years of the day you discovered it.

Sources (3)

Reliance Home Comfort (own site)

Other