Top three complaints for 2016: Used auto sales, home improvements and home mortgages
DES MOINES – For the second year in a row, used auto sales topped the list of complaints consumers filed with the Consumer Protection Division in 2016, followed by home improvements and home mortgage complaints.
The list of top three complaints consumers filed last year is unchanged from a year earlier.
Out of approximately 2,800 written complaints filed in 2016, 207 related to used vehicle sales practices, which include credit issues. Home improvement complaints rank second at 172 complaints, and home mortgage complaints are third on the list at 149 complaints.
“Our office receives a steady stream of complaints about used vehicle sales, the majority of which are related to credit issues,” Attorney General Tom Miller said. “Buyers who take a little time to learn more about their rights before they sign a contract and take time to research the vehicle they want to buy are often a step ahead of the most common problems.”
2016 Top Ten Consumer Protection Division Complaints
| Category | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1. Used vehicle sales practices | 207 |
| 2. Home improvements | 172 |
| 3. Home mortgages | 149 |
| 4. Internet service providers and bundles | 135 |
| 5. Cell phones | 104 |
| 6. Magazine and newspaper subscriptions | 93 |
| 7. Debt collections | 92 |
| 8. Auto repairs | 69 |
| 9. New vehicle sales and leases | 64 |
| 10. Satellite TV service | 63 |
| Total written consumer complaints: | 2,836 |
Consumers with questions or complaints can contact the Consumer Protection Division through the Attorney General’s website, by email or by phone:
Website: www.IowaAttorneyGeneral.gov
Email: consumer@ag.iowa.gov
Phone: 515-281-5926 (outside the Des Moines area, call toll-free: 888-777-4590)
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