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If there is a problem with a product or service, the first step is to contact the business itself.
Take your complaint further
If the problem isn’t fixed after contacting the business, there are other steps you can take.
Get help to resolve the dispute
There are local agencies and services that provide consumer advice and help resolve disputes.
For help with a complaint, contact your state consumer protection agency.
Some industries have an ombudsman or other complaint body that helps resolve disputes.
Take legal action
You also have the option of taking legal action.
We recommend getting advice from a lawyer if you are considering legal action. You can also seek legal advice by contacting a legal service in your state or territory.
Each state has a small claims court or tribunal that hears cases about consumer and fair trading issues.
Find out more about where to go for consumer help.
Report the problem to the ACCC
You can submit a report to the ACCC to help us understand where there are problems. Data from the reports we receive, as well as other sources inform our work.
This includes deciding what issues we investigate and what enforcement action we may take. We also use this information to inform what compliance and education activities we undertake, as well as industry engagement, advocacy and research.
We focus our work on issues that can result in widespread harm. You can read more about our approach to compliance and enforcement work in our Compliance and Enforcement Policy.