Consumer Complaints

Click here to download the Discipline and Dispute Form

The installation and maintenance of wood-burning appliances is not regulated in Canada. As a non-profit training and educational association, WETT does not oversee, nor is it responsible for, the workmanship of its members. As such, WETT does not act as a regulator, consequently we cannot become involved in resolving consumer disputes.

WETT-certified professionals must abide by a code of ethics requiring professionalism in all aspects of their work. WETT does maintain internal processes to address breaches of our code of ethics by our members. If you have concerns about the quality or workmanship done by a WETT-certified professional, there are several avenues for you seek remedies.

First – to avoid any disagreements, before retaining a WETT-certified professional it is important to ask upfront about the scope of services to be provided, the anticipated costs and determine who is doing the work. WETT trains and certifies individuals, not companies. Companies can use the WETT logo if someone at their company is WETT-certified but only those trained can claim to be WETT-certified but only those who have been issued certification by WETT can claim to be WETT-certified. All WETT-certified professionals carry photo ID cards. Ask to see an ID card and ensure that it carries a valid sticker showing the current year.

What to do if the WETT-certified professional did not certify my wood-burning appliance
Please note that WETT does not certify appliances – we certify people. This is a common misconception. During the course of work, an inspector or installer will issue paperwork indicating that an installation is code compliant. An installation is either compliant with the relevant building and installation codes or it is not. If not, the inspector, installer or sweep will identify why.

What to do in the event of disagreement?
From time to time, disagreements can originate from multiple scenarios such as inconsistency in inspection reports to faulty installations to disagreements over installation and building codes. This does not necessarily mean than someone was a fault.

If you feel your wood-burning appliance is not functioning properly or safely – DO NOT use the appliance until the concerns have been rectified.

In all situations, first try talking to the person who performed the work to see if a suitable resolution can be found. If the two of you can’t agree, you have several options:

Contact the retailer from where the appliance was purchased and review the situation with them to see if a resolution can be found. If the issue is a technical disagreement, you can contact the manufacturer for further information about your specific appliance. If the issue is a difference of opinion regarding an inspection report, you can seek a second opinion from another WETT-certified professional in your area.

If you have not found a suitable resolution, you can contact us.

How do I file a complaint?
Refer to the complaints form to make sure you have all the information required to make a complaint. Complaints must be sent by mail or email. Please note that the association can only investigate and discipline its own members. You will need to know the full name of the person who did the work. Click here to download the Discipline and Dispute Form.

How do I know if I should submit a complaint?
Please note that the association can only investigate and discipline its own members. WETT cannot resolve billing issues and similar disputes regarding service fees. WETT does investigate situations of faulty installations, poor workmanship and other concerns relating to quality of work performed.

What can I expect from submitting a complaint?
The installation and maintenance of wood-burning appliances is not regulated in Canada. Consequently, we cannot offer assurances that your specific issue will be rectified. What we can do is in cases of negligence is prevent this from happening in the future by having the member retrained or, in cases of gross negligence, by withdrawing a member’s certification.

What is the process a complaint follows?
The complaints process is largely internal and follows a prescribed process. The first step is for WETT to qualify the complaint. This may involve contacting you for more information about the nature of the complaint. If information is missing or the details provided are insufficient, you will be asked to submit additional documentation. The WETT member in question will also be contacted and, if deemed appropriate, we can recommend that s/he rectify the situation. Keep in mind that we cannot force members to rectify situations. If they fail to do so, the organization will take this into account when determining the necessary disciplinary action.

Given the varied nature of complaint situations, we do not publish time frames for responses to complaints. We will, however, acknowledge your complaint and keep you informed of the progress and outcomes of the complaint investigation.

We appreciate and empathize that a complaint, regardless of its nature, is stressful and we offer assurance that all complaints will be acknowledged and dealt with professionally. Through professional training and public education, our primary mandate is to promote the safe and effective use of wood-burning systems in Canada.

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