What to do when a service goes wrong
Start with a clear written complaint to the business. If that does not settle it, each market has routes to escalate, from ombudsmen and consumer authorities to small claims courts. This guide sets out what to do, and in which order.
- Markets
- US · UK · UAE & GCC · International
- Official sources
- 16
- Reviewed
- October 2026
- Complain to the business in writing first, keep copies of everything and ask for a final response before you escalate.
- UK services must be performed with reasonable care and skill; if not, you can require repeat performance or a price reduction.
- In England and Wales, the small claims track is the normal route for claims worth up to GBP 10,000.
- US state consumer protection offices take complaints; the FTC collects fraud reports but cannot resolve individual cases.
- In the UAE, complaints go to the economic department of the emirate that licensed the business or to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
Before you escalate: build the record
Whatever the market, the first step is a written complaint to the business, made through its own complaints process if it has one. Say what was agreed, what went wrong, what you want done and by when. Keep the contract, quotes, invoices, payment records, photos and messages together, and note the date of every call. Ask for a final written response: ombudsmen, authorities and courts expect to see that the business had a fair chance to put things right.
- Contract, quote or estimate, and any changes agreed in writing
- Invoices, receipts and the card or bank record of each payment
- Dated photos or video of the work and the problem
- Emails, messages and notes of calls, with dates and names
- Any independent report or second quote for putting the work right
United Kingdom: your rights when a service falls short
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 writes standard terms into every consumer contract for services. The trader must perform the service with reasonable care and skill, must finish within a reasonable time where no time was fixed, and is bound by what it said about the service if you relied on it. A contract term that tries to exclude these duties is not binding on you, whatever the small print says.
If the service does not meet the contract, you can require repeat performance: the trader must put it right within a reasonable time, without significant inconvenience to you and at its own cost. If that is impossible, or the trader fails to do it properly, you can require a price reduction of an appropriate amount, which can be the full price. Any refund must be paid within 14 days of the trader agreeing you are entitled to it, using the original payment method and without a fee.
United Kingdom: ADR, ombudsmen and small claims
If the trader will not settle, check whether it belongs to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme; its website, terms or emails may say so. Citizens Advice says you should try ADR before going to court, and that a court will take an ADR decision into account. If you paid by card, a complaint can go to the card provider and then to the Financial Ombudsman Service. The Citizens Advice consumer service can also refer a trader to Trading Standards.
In England and Wales, you can claim money owed through the county court, online if you know the exact amount you are claiming. Under rule 26.9 of the Civil Procedure Rules, the small claims track is the normal track for claims worth up to GBP 10,000, with lower limits for some claims such as personal injury. Court fees rise with the claim, from GBP 35 for claims up to GBP 300 to GBP 455 for claims between GBP 5,000.01 and GBP 10,000. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate processes.
United States: state offices, small claims and the FTC
Start with your state's consumer protection office. USA.gov lists every state's office, and several of them sit within the state attorney general's office. These offices help with complaints against businesses and investigate scams and fraud. Send them a short account of what happened with copies of the contract, payment records and your correspondence with the business, and keep proof of when you sent it.
Small claims courts are run by each state, with their own limits and procedures. In California, for example, an individual can generally sue for up to USD 12,500 and a business for up to USD 6,250, and the state's self-help guide says the first step is to ask the other party for what you want. Report fraud or bad business practices to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov; the FTC uses reports for investigations and cases but cannot resolve individual complaints.
UAE: consumer complaints by emirate
UAE consumer law gives a service customer defined remedies. Under Article 13 of the Executive Regulation, Cabinet Resolution No. 66 of 2023, if a provider fails to honour its service warranty, the consumer can choose a full refund where the service was not carried out, a partial refund reflecting the shortfall, or re-performance of the service correctly and as contracted. Each emirate's economic department handles consumer complaints, and the Ministry of Economy and Tourism takes consumer calls on 800 1222.
In Dubai, the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) receives consumer complaints through its online consumer complaint form. In Abu Dhabi, the Consumer Protection Section of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED), listed on the Abu Dhabi Registration Authority (ADRA) website, receives complaints about establishments licensed by ADDED, on 800555. The federal consumer law does not cover purchases from e-commerce businesses registered outside the UAE, so check where a business is licensed before you pay it.
UAE: mediation, courts and online filing
If the consumer authority cannot settle the matter, a civil claim goes to the courts. Before filing, the UAE court system offers mediation and conciliation committees and centres aimed at an amicable settlement; if that fails, you can ask the relevant centre for a no-objection letter and then file your claim. Claims can be submitted at a court's Case Management Office or electronically, and documents must be in Arabic or translated by a legal translator approved by the Ministry of Justice.
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department runs a Small Claims Court, a fast-track route for lower-value civil, commercial and labour disputes, with expert appointments and, for higher-value claims, an appeal route. Jurisdiction normally lies with the court where the defendant is based, so identify the emirate and the licensing authority before you start. Because court documents must be in Arabic, keep the Arabic invoice and contract that UAE consumer law requires the provider to give you.
Buying across borders
A complaint against a business in another country is harder to enforce, so before you buy, find out where the business is registered and which country's law governs the contract. If a problem arises, econsumer.gov takes cross-border complaints from consumers. It is run by a partnership of consumer protection authorities that belong to the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN), and participating members can access their own country's complaint data.
If you live in the EU, Iceland or Norway and the trader is based in another of those countries, the European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net) can explain your rights and help you settle the dispute; contact the centre in the country where you live. ECC-Net also cooperates with the UK International Consumer Centre. Card dispute rights depend on your card issuer and the rules of your home market, so check them before you pay a business abroad.
Questions
What can I ask for if a UK service was done badly?
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 you can first require the trader to repeat the work so that it meets the contract, at no cost to you and within a reasonable time. If that is impossible or the trader fails to do it, you can require an appropriate price reduction, which in some cases is the full price.
What is the small claims limit in England and Wales?
The small claims track is the normal track for claims with a value of not more than GBP 10,000, with lower limits for some claims such as personal injury. You can start a money claim online if you know the exact amount, and the court fee depends on the value of the claim, including any interest.
Will the FTC resolve my complaint against a business?
No. The FTC collects reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and uses them to investigate and bring cases against fraud, scams and bad business practices, but it cannot resolve individual cases. For help with your own dispute, contact your state consumer protection office, or consider your state's small claims court.
Where do I complain about a business in Dubai?
Complaints about a business licensed in Dubai go to the Department of Economy and Tourism, which runs an online consumer complaint form. Keep the invoice, which UAE law requires to be in Arabic and to show the trade name, the service and its price, because the authority will ask for evidence of the purchase.
Can I complain about a business in another country?
Yes, although enforcement is harder. You can file a cross-border complaint at econsumer.gov, whose complaint data is available to participating consumer protection authorities. If you live in the EU, Iceland or Norway and the business is in another of those countries, contact the European Consumer Centre in your own country.
Sources
Official sources behind this guide, checked in October 2026.
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, Part 1, Chapter 4: Serviceslegislation.gov.ukUK
- Solve an ongoing consumer problem with a business sellerCitizens AdviceUK
- Problem with building work, decorating or home improvementsCitizens AdviceUK
- Make a court claim for moneyGOV.UKUK
- Make a court claim for money: Court feesGOV.UKUK
- Civil Procedure Rules, Part 26Ministry of JusticeUK
- State consumer protection officesUSA.govUS
- Before you start a small claims caseJudicial Branch of CaliforniaUS
- Reporting fraud 101: protect your community by reporting scamsFederal Trade CommissionUS
- Cabinet Resolution No. (66) of 2023 Concerning the Executive Regulations of Federal Law No. (15) of 2020 Concerning Consumer ProtectionUAE LegislationUAE & GCC
- Consumer protectionThe Official Platform of the UAE GovernmentUAE & GCC
- Consumer ProtectionAbu Dhabi Registration AuthorityUAE & GCC
- Civil casesThe Official Platform of the UAE GovernmentUAE & GCC
- ADJD Services: Small Claims CourtAbu Dhabi Judicial DepartmentUAE & GCC
- European Consumer Centres Network (ECC-Net)European CommissionInternational
- eConsumer.govInternational Consumer Protection and Enforcement NetworkInternational