OUR CONSUMER ADVISORY CENTER

TCAR’s advisory center, gives free tips and necessary information for consumers to solve their disputes amicably with businesses and service providers on products and services found in the market. TCAR initiatives aim at help consumers with simple, rapid and inexpensive solutions in the event of consumer disputes.

Our advisory center provides consumer education on creating safe, well-informed and active consumers as an important component for the market to function well and to promote economic development.

Consumer information

Information is one of the key measures in consumer policy. Consumers must have good and sufficient information about goods and services offered on the market, as well as knowledge about their rights and obligations as consumers. Information promotes consumer power and enables consumers to make informed choices

Get to know how to lodge a consumer complaint

Process of Lodging Consumer Complaints

Consumers can complain directly to the relevant regulatory authority through the post, Email, Telephone call or walking into the Authority’s offices. The consumer is required to fill in a consumer complaint form and provide all the relevant information concerning the complain

Consumer has to know on receipt of a consumer complain, the authority/bureau will;-

1. Acknowledge receipt of the complaint and advise the consumer on any information gaps.
2. Upon receipt of all the information from the complainant, the Authority shall analyze the complaint and contact the accused party for information if necessary.
3. The Authority may then apply administrative remedies to solve the complaints which include; Refund, replacement or repair of goods, withdrawal of misleading representations, recall of unsafe goods and notices to the public on the existence of such goods.
4. Complaints that do not fall under the Authority’s jurisdiction are referred to the relevant regulatory agencies.
5. Complaints that are not solved after 90 days go to court of law
6. TCAR’s provide free legal services for consumers to solve their disputes

Key tips before starting a complaint

            Find answers before you start a complaint

• Get in-touch with the company you want to complain on their product or service. Companies usually answer questions unique to your situation and more specific to the products and services they offer, so include this information to help the company responds to your complaint.

Key facts in your own words

• Be clear and concise about the problem you’re having
• Include only the most important dates, amounts, and communications you’ve had with the company
• Throughout the process, you should get everything you can in writing, and keep those records
• It is important to note that you’re responsible for anything you say or do in this process, be honest, and don’t lie or stretch the truth of the story.
• Don’t walk away from a situation harboring unreasonable expectations.

Documents

• Attach documents that support the facts like account statements and communications with the company
• If you’re submitting for someone else, note that companies generally require signed, written authorization provided directly by their customer before responding to someone other than their customer. If you have written authorization, consider attaching it.
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Company you’re complaining about

• Provide complete contact information for the company.

Your contact information

• You will need to provide your name, email, and phone number to create your secure account.
• You will need to provide your address. Without this, the company won’t be able to respond to your complaint.
• You will need to provide details of your damage/s caused by the product or service
• You will need to describe RELIEF (S) SOUGHT RELIEF (S) SOUGHT RELIEF (S) SOUGHT RELIEF (S) SOUGHTcompensation sought from the company
• If you are submitting for someone else, you must disclose your relationship to the consumer and that you are submitting a complaint on their behalf

IF TCAR agrees on submitting a complaint on your behalf

• We’ll share your complaint with the company so it can review and respond to the issues you’ve described.
• If we can’t send your complaint to the company for response, we’ll send it to another regulatory agency and let you know.
• Consistent with applicable law, we share your complaint with agencies to, among other things, facilitate:
  • supervision of companies,
  • enforcement activities, and
  • Monitoring of the market for consumer financial products and services.
• We publish complaint data (without information that directly identifies you) in our Consumer Complaint Database.
• If you can’t reach a solution with the business, you should maintain self-control, even in your disappointment. Don’t lash out in anger or allow your emotions to lead to you do anything that you may regret later on. Be careful in venting your frustrations or spewing anger on social media; your personal reputation is as important as that of the business. Don’t walk away from a situation harboring unreasonable expectations.

Consumers needs to understand that

Your complaint goes through several steps that help you get a response and help us identify problems in the marketplace.

1. Complaint submitted

You submit a complaint, or another government agency forwards your complaint to us. You will receive email updates and can check the status of your complaint.

2. Route

We’ll send your complaint directly to the company so it can review the issues in your complaint. If we find that another government agency would be better to assist, we will send your complaint to them and let you know.

3. Company response

The company will communicate with you as needed and respond to the issues in your complaint.

4. Complaint published

We publish information about your complaint (without information that directly identifies you) in our public Consumer Complaint Database. With your consent we also publish your description of what happened, after taking steps to remove personal information.

5. Consumer review

We will let you know when the company responds. You’ll be able to review the company’s response and will have 60 days to provide feedback about the company’s response.