Step 1. Start with a notice describing your consumer complaint: In the beginning, you will have to express your consumer complaint or dissatisfaction over any product or service to the manufacturer/producer/seller. The concern expressed must be in writing. It is always recommended to consult with your lawyer when the claim is above Rs. 10,000 and take their assistance in dispatching the notice as a notice under a lawyer’s professional head depicts the degree of seriousness in taking a course of legal action.

Step 2. Vendor’s reciprocity: Once a legal notice has been dispatched to the vendor, it is expected that the vendor will respond to the notice to avoid any legal action or even in the course of legal action. It is suggested that you wait for the vendor’s reciprocity, as some may give you a just reward. The courts will not award incredibly large damages petitions. In case you do not hear from the vendor, you can get in touch with the consumer forum within 15 days of a notice being dispatched.

Step 3. Select the correct forum: In the event of both a response or no response from the vendor, now is the time to select the suitable consumer forum for your complaint. Depending upon the nature of the consumer complaint, you will have to select one among the district forum, state commission, or national commission. You may either by yourself or by your representative may approach the forum with your grievances, the resolution of which takes 6 to 18 months.

Step 4. Submission of complaint: Once you have chosen the forum as per your complaint, it is time to prepare your grievance in a well-written format, which differs from forum to forum. In case of any problem faced in drafting the consumer complaint, you may also seek professional assistance, such as that of a lawyer, to constitute the ideal complaint, including all the necessary details along with the attachment of the legal notice you sent to the vendor. This attachment justifies your true intent of resolving the dispute in an amicable method without resorting to trials.

Step 5. Court fee payment: Once the documentation is done, you may pay the court fee, which is requested by the filing department, to file the consumer complaint. This fee depends upon the claim amount filed. In the event of the success of the lawsuit, the court puts the mandatory obligation on the vendor to compensate you for all the expenditure caused in the process, including attorney fees, filing fees, etc.

Know a brief on Consumer Complaints