Enbridge Sustain in Ottawa and Ontario: how $0-down lease to own heating and cooling works, and what it costs

Replacing a furnace or adding a heat pump is a big bill to take on at once. Enbridge Sustain is one way Ottawa homeowners spread that cost out: new equipment with nothing down, a monthly payment, and ownership at the end. Here is how the program works, and the questions worth asking before you sign.

What Enbridge Sustain is

Enbridge Sustain is a lease-to-own program for residential homes in Ontario. It offers four kinds of equipment:

• High-efficiency furnaces
• Air conditioners
• Heat pumps
• Water heaters

It serves most major towns and cities across Ontario, including Ottawa, and it's for homeowners rather than builders or commercial customers.

How the lease-to-own term works

• $0 down. The equipment is installed without an upfront payment.
• A 180-month (15-year) contract. You make a monthly payment for the length of the term.
• Maintenance and repairs included. The monthly payment includes annual maintenance, future repairs, and an extended parts and labour warranty.
• You own it at the end. Ownership transfers to you when the contract finishes.
• Buyouts. You can buy out the equipment before the term ends, following a published buyout schedule.

Who it suits

Lease-to-own can make sense if your system has failed and you don't want to use savings or a line of credit, or if you like having one fixed monthly cost that includes maintenance. It suits people planning to stay in their home for a long time, since the contract runs for 15 years.

It suits you less if you can pay upfront or finance at a low rate, because a monthly payment over 15 years usually adds up to more than buying the equipment outright. Ask for the total amount you will pay over the full term and compare it with a purchase quote.

Questions to ask before you sign

1. What is the total cost over 180 months? Compare it with the installed price of the same equipment.
2. What does the buyout cost in year 3, 5 or 10? The schedule matters if you might sell or upgrade.
3. What happens if I sell my home? Ask whether the contract can transfer to the buyer or has to be paid out.
4. What exactly do maintenance and repairs cover? Get the list of covered parts and any exclusions in writing.
5. Can I still get a rebate? Ontario's Home Renovation Savings program pays different amounts for heat pumps that are rented. Rented cold-climate air-source heat pumps qualify for up to $2,000 and rented ground-source heat pumps for $3,000. Ask how your agreement is classified before you count on a rebate.

Lease-to-own, financing or buying outright

There are three common ways to pay for new equipment. Buying outright costs least over time and gives you the rebate directly. Financing spreads the cost, and you own the equipment from day one. Lease-to-own spreads the cost and bundles in maintenance, but you don't own the equipment until the term ends.

In a free phone consultation, we can price the upgrade as a purchase with the rebates that apply, and with financing, so you have a clear number to compare against a lease-to-own offer.

Sources

• Enbridge Sustain
• Home Renovation Savings: heat pumps