Rhode Island § 6-28-2 - Door-To-Door Sales

§ 6-28-2. Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(1) “Business Day” means any calendar day except Sunday or any legal holiday on which regular mail deliveries are not made.

(2) “Consumer Goods or Services” means goods or services purchased, leased, or rented primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, including courses of instruction or training regardless of the purpose for which they are taken.

(3) “Door-to-Door Sale” means a sale, lease, or rental of consumer goods or services with a purchase price of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) or more, whether under single or multiple contracts, in which the seller or his or her representative personally solicits the sale, including those in response to, or following an invitation by, the buyer, and the buyer’s agreement or offer to purchase is made at a home other than that of the person soliciting the transaction or at a place other than the regular place of business of the seller. The term “door-to-door sale” does not include a transaction:

(i) Made pursuant to the prior negotiations made by the buyer at the seller’s permanent business establishment where the goods are regularly sold;

(ii) In which the buyer has initiated the contact and the goods or services are needed to meet a bona-fide immediate, personal emergency of the buyer and the buyer furnishes the seller with a separate, dated and signed personal statement in the buyer’s handwriting describing the situation requiring immediate remedy and expressly acknowledging and waiving the right to cancel the sale within three (3) business days;

(iii) Made entirely by mail or telephone and without any other contact between the buyer and seller or its representative prior to delivery of the goods or performance of the services;

(iv) In which the buyer has initiated the contact and specifically requested the seller to visit his or her home for the purpose of repairing or performing maintenance upon the buyer’s personal property. If in the course of such a visit, the seller sells the buyer the right to receive additional services or goods other than replacement parts necessarily used in performing the maintenance or in making the repairs, the sale of those additional goods or services would not fall within the exclusion;

(v) Pertaining to the sale or rental of real property; to the sale of insurance; or to the sale of securities or commodities by a broker-dealer duly registered in the State of Rhode Island;

(vi) That involves arts and crafts sold at fairs or other locations such as shopping malls, civic centers, and schools; or

(vii) In which the consumer is accorded the right of rescission by the provisions of the Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1635 or regulations issued pursuant to that act.

(4) “Place of Business” means the main or permanent branch office or local address of a seller.

(5) “Purchase Price” means the total price paid or to be paid for the consumer goods or services, including all interest and service charges.

(6) “Seller” means any person, partnership, corporation, or association engaged in the door-to-door sale of consumer goods or services.