Complaints & Help – Retail Consumer Issues

Finance and Banking Customers

Financial Ombudsman Service Australia (FOS) provides accessible, fair and independent dispute resolution for consumers and financial services providers. (The dispute must be with a FOS member organisation. A list can be found on thier website)

You can lodge a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service Australia (FOS) if you believe your financial services provider has acted unfairly towards you. They also have range of fact sheets on financial topics.

Online Dispute Form: https://odf.fos.org.au/

Website: www.fos.org.au

Factsheets: Managing Financial Advice Information Sheet

Mistaken Internet Payments Information Sheet

Phone: 1800 367 287

Credit and Investments Ombudsman (CIO) offers a dispute resolution scheme set up to help resolve disputes between consumers and financial services providers about banking and credit, general and life insurance, investments, loans, managed funds, mortgage and finance broking, and other issues. They provide a free, independent and impartial dispute resolution service.

CIO can only consider complaints consumers have with businesses that are members of either scheme. You can find out who their members are on their website.

Phone: 1800 138 422
Website: www.cio.org.au

Email: info@cio.org.au

Caxton Consumer Law Service provides financial counselling information, advice and referral service to consumers on credit, debt or with banking issues.

Phone: (07) 3214 6333
Website: www.caxton.org.au

MoneySmart is an online guide that has a range of toold offering free and impartial financial guidance. Some topics they cover are managing your money, borrowing, insurance, superannuation and retirement.

Website: www.moneysmart.gov.au

Gas, Electricity or Water Customers

Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland (EWOQ) Can assist you with complaints about:

Problems with payment
Account errors
Disconnections
Damage and loss
Energy marketing
Energy contract issues
Vegetation management
Supply quality and reliability
Extensions to supply and connection of supply
Customer service issues
Guaranteed service levels
Equipment issues
Bursts, leaks, blockages and spills
Privacy breaches by energy and water companies and credit reporting bodies

Online Complaint Form: Click Here

Website: www.ewoq.com.au

Phone: 1800 662 837

The National Debt Helpline offer advice and guidance if you are worried about paying your gas, electricity or water bills or are worried about being disconnected. To access some simple steps for tackling bills, adressing a disconnection notice, or if your already disconnected click here. They may also be able to help if you have been talked into signing up to a gas, electricity or water contract with a door to door salesman.

Phone: 1800 007 007

Website: www.ndh.org.au

Phone and Internet Customers

If your having difficulty paying your phone bill, or your concerned about being disconnected, the National Debt Helpline outline some steps to help you resolve this issue click here.

Phone: 1800 007 007

Website: www.ndh.org.au

Scams

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) produces a book ‘The Little Black Book of Scams’, which highlights popular scams including fake lotteries, internet shopping, mobile phones, online banking, employment, and investment opportunities. It also has tips on how to protect yourself from scams, what you can do if you do get scammed. You can download it from their website or call for it to be sent to you.

The ACCC also hosts a website called Scam Watch which provides information on different types of scams, how to report them, and how to avoid them.

Website: www.scamwatch.gov.au

To report a scam, you can fill in an online form click here

Legal Advcie for Consumer Issues

Legal Aid Queensland can give you general legal advice about consumer disputes.

Phone: 1300 651 188

Website: www.legalaid.qld.gov.au
Office locations: Click Here

Community Legal Centres give legal advice on a range of topics. To find a Community Legal Centre near you, go to the CLC website.

Website: www.communitylegalqld.org.au

Cairns Community Legal Centre (CCLC) offer a Consumer Law Service. They provide advice and legal work in relation to:

consumer credit
consumer product disputes
consumer service disputes
consumer debt matters
bankruptcy and other consumer law matters

Matters may involve insurance companies, brokers, banks or other financial institutions, superannuation trustees, tele-communication providers, second hand car or other dealers, sellers of other consumer goods and services.

The CLS provides legal advice work to disadvantaged members of the community in Far North Queensland. Legal advice is provided by appointment. Where necessary, by reason of distance or otherwise, telephone advice can also be provided.

Phone: (07) 4031 7688 or 1800 062 608

Website: http://www.cclc.org.au/our-services/consumer-law-service

Legalpedia is an online database operated by LawRight. It contains fact sheets, information and link to advocacy groups.

Website: www.legalpediaqld.org.au/index.php?title=Consumer_Law