- The first step is to contact the business itself to resolve the issue. Often a phone call or visit can fix the issue.
- If the business doesn’t fix your problem, there are other agencies that can help.
- Sometimes another regulator or ombudsman scheme may be more appropriate than the ACCC, depending on your issue.
What the ACCC does
- We provide information to help consumers and businesses deal with complaints.
- We gather information about consumer and fair trading problems from the reports we receive and from other sources. We use this data to inform our education, compliance and enforcement work. Find out more in our Compliance and Enforcement Policy.
- We focus our work on issues that can result in widespread harm.
What the ACCC can't do
- We don’t resolve individual complaints.
- We don't provide legal advice on your rights and obligations under the law.
- We don’t make formal decisions on whether a person or business has breached the law as only the courts can do this.
If you have a product safety problem, see our Product Safety website.
If you have lost money to a scam or given out your personal details to a scammer, see our Scamwatch website.
If there is a problem with a product or service, the first step is to contact the business itself.
If the problem isn’t fixed there are other steps you can take. This includes to contact agencies and services that provide consumer advice, dispute resolution, and small claims legal advice and support.
Other consumer protection agencies
If you have tried to resolve your problem with a business, contact your local state and territory consumer protection agency. They are sometimes called 'consumer affairs' or 'fair trading' agencies.
They can provide you with information about your rights and options. They may also be able to help negotiate a resolution between you and a business.
It may be better for you to contact consumer protection agencies other than the ACCC about some consumer issues. For example, most of these state and territory consumer protection agencies also deal with:
- residential tenancy laws
- regulations for retirement villages and other residential parks
- fundraising regulations
- regulations for licensed industries such as motor vehicle dealers or real estate agents
- residential building and construction issues.
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
Office of Fair Trading Queensland
South Australia
SA Office of Consumer and Business Services (CBS)
Tasmania
Tasmania Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS)
Victoria
Consumer Affairs Victoria (CAV)
Western Australia
WA Consumer Protection - Department Of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety
International consumer protection
The International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) is an organisation composed of consumer protection authorities from over 60 countries. ICPEN's website provides useful information on how you can resolve cross-border disputes.
ICPEN also maintains the eConsumer.gov website where you can report international scams and other consumer complaints.
The US Federal Trade Commission maintains a list of consumer protection and competition authorities worldwide.
Other consumer regulators, industry ombudsmen and dispute resolution
There are other consumer regulators for specific industries. Some of these regulators can also assist with complaints.
Some industries have a national ombudsman that provides dispute resolution. Examples are the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. Other industries, such as energy, have industry ombudsmen and dispute resolution offices in each state and territory.
Aged care
Aged Care Complaints Commissioner
Building
Australian Building and Construction Commission
Queensland Building and Construction Commission
Charities
Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission
Disability
National
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
National Disability Insurance Agency
Australian Human Rights Commission
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Health and Community Services Complaints Commission
South Australia
Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner
Tasmania
Health Complaints Commissioner Tasmania
Victoria
Disability Services Commissioner
Western Australia
Health and Disability Services Complaints Office
Education
Higher education
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
Vocational education
Australian Skills Quality Authority
International students dealing with private education providers in Australia
Energy and water
State and territory energy ombudsmen
Financial products and services
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) enforces consumer credit laws and consumer protection laws in relation to financial products and services. ASIC does not resolve individual disputes but can give you information about your rights and next steps. ASIC also uses the information from reports to inform its education, compliance and enforcement work.
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority is the dispute resolution scheme for financial products and services. It considers complaints about credit, finance and loans, insurance, banking deposits and payments, investments and financial advice, and superannuation.
Small business - national
Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman
Small business – state and territory
New South Wales
Office of the NSW Small Business Commissioner
South Australia
Office of the South Australian Small Business Commissioner
Victoria
Victorian Small Business Commission
Western Australia
Western Australian Small Business Commissioner
Postal services
The Commonwealth Ombudsman can investigate complaints about Australia Post and StarTrack.
Privacy
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Private Health Insurance
Telecommunications
The Telecommunications ombudsman handles complaints about telecommunications providers, where you have already tried to resolve the issue with the provider first.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority handles complaints about specific telecommunications issues it regulates, such as spam, online gambling and complaints about TV and radio broadcasting standards.
Therapeutic Goods
The Therapeutic Goods Administration regulates the supply, import, export, manufacturing and advertising of therapeutic goods, medical devices and medicines.
State and territory small claims tribunals
Each state has a small claims court or tribunal that hears cases about consumer issues.
You may be entitled to take your complaint to your local state and territory small claims tribunal. Your local tribunal can advise you on their dispute resolution processes and how to lodge a claim.
There is usually a fee involved for taking an issue to a small claims tribunal. Your local tribunal can advise you on the relevant fee that would apply to your situation.
Australian Capital Territory
ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal
New South Wales
New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Northern Territory
Northern Territory Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Queensland
Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal
South Australia
South Australia Magistrates Court
Tasmania
Victoria
Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Western Australia
Magistrates Court of Western Australia
Seek legal advice
You can get independent legal advice in your state or territory about what options are available.
| State/territory | Services that provide legal advice | Services that provide consumer law advice |
|---|---|---|
| ACT | Consumer Law Centre ACT | |
| New South Wales | ||
| Northern Territory | ||
| Queensland |
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service Queensland |
|
| South Australia | Legal Services Commission SA | |
| Tasmania | ||
| Victoria | Consumer Action Law Centre | |
| Western Australia | Consumer Credit Legal Service |
See also
Contacting a business to fix a problem