Have a complaint?
As a provincial regulator, we license certain industries and oversee specific types of consumer transactions in BC. Here’s an overview of what we can and can’t help you with.
What we can’t help with:
- alarm and security companies
- banks
- business-to-business transactions
- cell phone, internet, or TV services
- gas pricing
- grocery purchases
- insurance claims
- moving and storage companies
- parking tickets
- private sale purchases, whether in person or an online platform
- public utilities
- quality of service issues (if you aren’t happy with a good or service you received)
- rentals and housing
- retail sales (purchases in stores not related to an industry we oversee)
- scams, fraud or identify theft
- strata issues
- vehicle issues or purchases
- warranties
What you can do:
We have referrals for some of the topics we don’t have the authority to deal with. Look through our consumer referrals list to see if there’s another agency that may be able to help you. If you can’t find a referral, we recommend that you continue to try to resolve the matter with the business directly, explore the Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) or go to court.
What we can help with:
We only have the authority to deal with things that fall within the laws that we are responsible for enforcing. We can help in certain areas of the following:
- bailiffs: certain business practices for licensed bailiffs (not court-appointed bailiffs)
- cemetery, cremation, and funeral services
- contract requirements for a good or service to be delivered in the future
- credit reporting: what can be included in your credit report and who can see it
- debt collection: the communication practices of debt collectors
- door-to-door sales: your cancelation rights and contract requirements
- gift cards: expirations dates and fees of certain types of cards
- gym/fitness memberships: contract requirements and your cancellation rights
- home inspections
- online purchases: if you didn’t get the goods or services
- payday loans or high-cost credit loans
- ratings of movies you see at the theater
- taxi or ride-sharing issues (we take these types of complaints for the BC Government and make sure they get to the right place)
- telemarketers
- ticket sales: what information you must be given when you buy a ticket to certain events and when you may be entitled to a refund
- travel services purchased through a BC licensed travel agency
What you can do:
If your issue falls within the areas listed above, you can file a complaint with us.
Filing a complaint with us
Steps to take before starting our complaint form:
- always try to work it out directly with the business first
- gather all your relevant documents that support your complaint. You will be required to upload them as part of our complaint process.
- review how we store your information with our privacy policy
- if your issue falls outside our authority, you may be redirected to another page.