Got a consumer complaint? Here’s what to do

A faulty product, cancelled service or unresolved refund can turn into a long email trail with no useful outcome. Once you have tried to resolve the dispute with the supplier, the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud, or CGSO, may be the next route if the complaint falls within its jurisdiction. Knowing what to prepare before you submit can make the history of the dispute much easier to follow.

Start with the supplier first

Send the supplier a written complaint explaining what happened, when it happened and what outcome you want. Save receipts, invoices, order confirmations, photographs, emails and any reference number linked to the complaint. The official CGSO complaint process requires you to approach the supplier first. If the dispute has not been resolved to your satisfaction, you can escalate it to the CGSO, which handles qualifying consumer complaints free of charge.

Going to the Ombud should not be the first email in the chain. Give the supplier enough detail to understand the dispute, save the response, and make sure you can show what happened before you escalate it.

Build a clear record of what happened

Write a short timeline from the purchase or service date to the supplier’s latest response. State the amount paid, the product or service involved, what went wrong and the remedy you want, without burying the main problem under every frustrating detail.

Knowing the relevant Consumer Protection Act provision can help you describe the dispute accurately. A complaint about a prepaid voucher, for example, becomes easier to explain once you have checked your consumer rights around voucher validity. Save a copy of your submission and any confirmation you receive. Screenshots, emails and reference numbers give you something concrete to refer to if the CGSO requests more information.

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Follow the complaint after submission

The CGSO gives the supplier an opportunity to resolve a qualifying complaint. If the dispute is not resolved at that stage, the Ombud can assist the parties in trying to reach an agreed settlement. Read correspondence from the CGSO carefully and respond if more information is requested. Documents, dates and supplier details give the office a clear record of the dispute and what has happened since your first complaint.

A complaint does not need pages of angry detail to explain what went wrong. It needs a clear history, supporting records and an outcome you can identify. The aim is to give the dispute enough structure for the correct process to assess it.

An unresolved purchase dispute becomes easier to pursue when the facts are organised and the route is clear. Give the supplier a chance to respond, then approach the CGSO if the dispute falls within its scope and you still have no satisfactory resolution. Good records turn frustration into a complaint another person can understand from beginning to end.

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