(a) The Legislature finds and declares that there have been situations where homeowners have been subjected to fraud, deception, and unfair dealing by certain promoters of water treatment devices. Water contamination problems throughout the nation have created concern among homeowners concerning the quality and healthfulness of home water for drinking. Some promoters of water treatment devices have made false, misleading, and unfair statements in connection with sale of water treatment devices, including, but not limited to, false, misleading, and unfair statements regarding general levels of water contamination, water contamination problems actually or potentially affecting particular homeowners, actual or potential health risks associated with the consumption of water, and the features and performance of water treatment devices. As a result of false, misleading, and unfair statements, including statements that have the purpose or effect of alarming the public about the condition of water, many homeowners have been pressured into purchasing water treatment devices without the opportunity to verify the accuracy of the sales representations.
(b) The Legislature also finds and declares that current law does not afford homeowners who enter transactions for the acquisition of water treatment devices the right in all instances to cancel the transaction within three days of its consummation. Moreover, homeowners may be subjected to the loss of their homes through the foreclosure of liens securing financing of water treatment devices.
(c) The Legislature further finds and declares that the protection of homeowners and consumers from untrue and misleading statements and from unfair dealing is of the utmost importance.
(d) The intent and purposes of this article are to safeguard the public against deceit; to ensure, foster, and encourage fair dealing in the sale of water treatment devices; to prohibit misleading representations; to prohibit certain liens on real property; and to afford homeowners a reasonable and meaningful opportunity to rescind transactions for the acquisition of water treatment devices.
(e) This article shall be liberally construed to effectuate the intent and to achieve the purposes described in subdivision (d).
(Added by Stats. 1988, Ch. 1053, Sec. 1.)