Due to insufficient resources, the Consumers League cannot function as your attorney or advocate to help you solve your individual problem. However, from our experience, we can tell you how and where to complain, and how to take simple problems to Court. We are, of course, very interested in consumer problems, and you may send us a letter describing your complaint, but we are more honest than most agencies in admitting we do not have the staff to work on your problem. Consumers League helps consumers in the Legislature, in Congress, and by providing consumer education.

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First, Get Organized

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The first step is to keep and organize all the papers, contracts, and receipts which relate to your problem. Write down an outline of what happened, starting with the very beginning. You are going to be telling your story to people who have not heard it. It really helps to get to the key points: Who did what? What happened? Where? When? (Dates?) Why are you complaining? What relief do you want? How many dollars will it take to fix the problem? If you cannot answer these questions quickly, and come to the point (what do you want?), first, no one will listen to you, and second, you won't get what you want.

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Always get the name, title, and employer of persons to whom you speak on the phone, immediately when the person answers the phone. If a business makes a promise, get them to put it in writing. If they make a promise over the phone, send them a letter confirming that on such a date, you promised to do such a thing for me. It is a good idea to send important letters by Certified Mail, return receipt requested, so you have proof you sent the letter, and proof the business received it. Later on, a letter sent early might prove that a problem existed.