Consumer Rights
Consumer Rights is a free online solution to resolve disputes between businesses and consumers.
Business and consumers can use Consumer Rights to:
- Determine if the dispute could be valid.
- Learn their respective rights and responsibilities.
- File a claim and achieve a fair resolution, with the help of mediators and negotiators if necessary.
The first step to resolve a consumer issue online is completing the Consumer Rights pathway to determine mutual rights and responsibilities and if the dispute could be valid. Click here to start completing the pathway.
After completing the pathway, users whose dispute appears to be valid can start the dispute resolution process through the online portal Resolve my Consumer Dispute.
Learn more about using the Consumer Rights pathway
The Consumer Rights pathway will:
- Present a series of questions to help users find relevant legislation.
- Inform users of their rights and responsibilities.
- Provide information and tools to assist users in resolving their dispute. For example, users can report unlicensed individuals or find template letters to communicate with businesses.
Consumer Rights provides information in the following areas:
- Auctions Cemeteries
- Charitable Fund-raising Businesses
- Collection Agents
- Consumer Contracts
- Credit Reporting
- Direct Sellers (i.e., door to door sales, unsolicited phone sales)
- Personal Service Development Contracts (i.e., gym memberships)
- Pre-Paid Purchase Cards (i.e., gift cards, prepaid credit cards)
- Ticket Sellers
- Vehicle Dealers Warranties (for most consumer goods and services)
Learn more about negotiating within the Resolve My Consumer Dispute portal
The Resolve My Consumer Dispute portal helps parties achieve a fair a resolution.
This neutral, confidential, and secure environment enables users to negotiate directly with each other to reach an agreement.
In the portal:
- Consumers can submit the details of their dispute, including supporting documentation.
- The business is notified.
- The business can access the portal and negotiate with the consumer.
- An FCAA facilitator may assist the negotiation if an agreement cannot be reached.
- If required, an independent, third-party mediator may be assigned, at no cost to the parties.
For more in-depth help guides and resources, visit How to Use the Consumer Rights page and Frequently Asked Questions page.