Selling these 9 items at your garage sale is illegal.
You need yard sale insurance. According to the Canadian Consumer Product Safety Act, anyone who holds a garage sale is legally responsible for ensuring that products sold or given away are safe and meet current regulatory requirements.
Can you guarantee that an electrical item you’re selling isn’t defective? Do you know for certain that the inexpensive jewelry you’re hocking doesn’t contain lead? Have any of the toys you’re selling been recalled? What if someone buys your window blind and a child is strangled by the cord? How sturdy is the ladder you’re offering? Will the bike helmet you’re selling withstand a crash?
If you sell something unsafe, you’re breaking the law—and you could be sued if someone is injured or property is damaged as a result.
These items are illegal to sell in Canada:
- Baby walkers.
- Electrical items without a CSA label.
- Car seats that don’t meet regulatory standards.
- Cribs, cradles and bassinettes manufactured prior to 1986.
- Polycarbonate baby bottles containing BPA.
- Lawn darts with elongated tips.
- Anything made with toxic jequirity beans, such as rosary beads or maracas.
- Garden (or Tiki) torches that are missing the safety labelling.
- Playpens that are missing the model number, manufacturer or importer, and date of manufacture.
Most homeowner’s insurance policies will cover you for bodily injury and property damage that you cause, including court costs and judgments against you. But is that coverage enough? Do you need a single event rider for the date of your garage sale? How much would it cost to increase your liability coverage on a more permanent basis?
Yard sale insurance ensures you’re protected if someone is injured or property is damaged at your sale. A single event rider or additional liability insurance can offer extra protection. Avoid unexpected costs and legal issues—secure yard sale insurance for peace of mind.