Cambridge, Ont. homeowner says driveway paved without permission
A Cambridge woman said she arrived home Saturday, and to her surprise, a crew was paving her driveway.
It was done, she told CTV News, without her consent.
"Our driveway was a gravel driveway, country and rustic," said Tammie Corrigan. "Not the prettiest, but it was ours."
She explained that a man knocked on her door Friday night and offered a discounted rate to pave her driveway.
"We talked about the reason why we did not want to have it done. He talked about the reasons why we should have it done."
Corrigan said she then declined to go ahead with repaving.
"At the end of the conversation [he said]: 'I'll call you next week when we're ready to do this.' And my words were: 'We'll call you if we decide to do this."
When Corrigan came home Saturday morning, she said a crew was doing the work and they were more than halfway done her driveway.
"Without our consent, without our want, without an agreement, without a contract," she added. "It was very disturbing for us."
Corrigan claims the man offered to pave the rest of the driveway and give her $500 off of the $7,500 bill.
"We're not intending to pay him for any of the work that we did not ask for," she said.
COMPANY RESPONDS
CTV News reached out to the company, Unique Paving & Masonry, and spoke to an employee.
They said it "was a misunderstanding and they plan to make things right by restoring the driveway to the way it was at no cost."
When asked why the work was done in the first place, the employee said: "There was a verbal agreement. We don't just turn up and do this randomly."
No further information was provided and CTV News did not get a response when an interview or statement was requested.
LAWYER WEIGHS IN
Ari Goldkind, a criminal lawyer with no connection to the incident, said Corrigan shouldn't have to pay for the repaving.
"If there's no contract, verbal or otherwise, particularly in writing, particularly with a down payment, particularly with a written, clear, detailed estimate, if I’m the homeowner, I don't pay one red cent," he said.
He also advised homeowners to do their due diligence when considering doing business with a new company.
"Google them. Is there a website? Are there Google reviews? Are there Facebook reviews? Is there an actual physical office?"
Corrigan hopes her experience will be a warning to others.
"Don't let anyone knock on your door to sell you something without taking the time to talk to your neighbours [and] family. Don't get taken advantage of," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
Should I invest with a human or a robot? Traditional firms vs. robo-advisors
Investors considering where to park their money have a choice: go with a traditional financial adviser or trust in an algorithm. Here are the pros and cons of both.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Imagine living in a 4-foot body that doesn't develop chronic diseases
Nathaly Paola Castro Torres has a rare disorder called Laron syndrome that is caused by a genetic mutation. It stunts her growth but also provides a hidden silver lining: Her body is protected from chronic diseases such as cancer that often take life away long before old age.
Concerns about Plexiglas prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglas barriers.