Consumer Affairs

• Filing a Complaint 
• Suing for Small Sums 
• Consumer Action Handbook 
• Virginia Department of Agricultural & Consumer Services 
• Othere Agencies Which May Help You 
• Consumer Related Links 

Filing a Complaint

For general information, please call 703.746.4800. If you wish to file a complaint against a retail business in the City of Alexandria, please contact the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs at 804.786.2042, or toll free (Virginia only) 800.552.9663. 

Suing for Small Sums

There may be times when you believe that a service person or a business concern has not treated you fairly. Typical examples are:

• an appliance does not work properly and the store will not replace it or refund your money;
• a repair shop has not properly repaired your car or appliance;
• painting, plumbing, electrical, or carpentry work was not done properly.

When this happens, always try to talk to the business involved and seek a fair settlement.  Do not hesitate to go directly to the owner or the president of the firm. (Sales receipts, sales agreements, warranties, or canceled checks are necessary to support your side of the story. Don't forget to keep them.)

More Information About Suing for Small Sums 

Consumer Action Handbook

The 2010 Consumer Action Handbook, published by the United States General Services Administration, is a comprehensive reference source that includes topics on consumer issues such as credit and identity theft, contact information for corporate consumer affairs offices, car manufacturers and resolution programs, federal and state agencies, Better Business Bureaus, consumer organizations, trade associations, and contact information for military exchanges and military family centers.

Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

Complaints:  You should complain to the business involved so the merchant has the opportunity to settle your complaint. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of that encounter, then you should file a complaint with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services - Office of Consumer Affairs at 804.786.2042 or toll free (Virginia only) 800.552.9663.  If you have any questions or need general information, please leave a message and staff will return your call as soon as possible.

Information and Advice: Before you do business with a local firm, call for advice. The Office of Consumer Affairs will not recommend or endorse any company but they can tell you whether complaints have been filed against a particular company, what they were about, and whether or not the complaints were resolved.

Consumer Education: The Office will tell you about Federal, State, and local laws which affect you and relate to retail transactions. They distribute free pamphlets on a wide variety of topics to inform you of your rights and responsibilities. In addition, Consumer Affairs staff is available to talk to your group or club.

Representation: The Office of Consumer Affairs represents consumers' viewpoints before law-making and regulatory agencies such as the City Council, Virginia State Corporation Commission, and the Virginia General Assembly.

Here are some helpful hints that will help you avoid problems and complaints. Be an informed consumer!

Before you buy:

• Compare products and prices.
• Shop at reliable stores that provide good customer service and quality.
• Ask friends for their recommendations and call Consumer Affairs or the Better Business Bureau to check on a company's complaint record.
• Find out about the store's return and exchange policies.
• Ask about the layaway policy.
• Read your warranty. Make certain that you know who fulfills the guarantee. Is it the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer?
• Read all information labels.
• Obtain a written estimate for all repair costs.

Before you sign:

• Make sure you read the entire contract.
• Do not sign a blank or incomplete contract.
• Keep a copy of what you signed.
• Understand that most contracts do not have a "cooling off" period or "right of rescission" period.

After you sign:

• Keep all receipts, tags, care instruction, and warranties for future reference.

Other Agencies Which May Help You

Consumer Related Links

• Consumer Product Safety Comission
  The Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent Federal regulatory agency whose mission is to help keep American families safe in their homes by reducing the risk of injury or death from consumer products. Visit This site often to share lifesaving information.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) public affairs information page, hosted by the Department of Transportation. You can search for information on vehicle recalls from this page.
• Federal Trade Commission
  The official Homepage of the Federal Trade Commission. This organization enforces a variety of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws. The Commission seeks to ensure that the nation's markets function competitively, and are vigorous, efficient, and free of undue restrictions.
• National Fraud Information Center
  The National Fraud Information Center is a project of the National Consumers League, America's oldest nonprofit consumer organization. NFIC helps consumers report fraud and offers helpful advice on how to avoid becoming a victim. There is lots of good information available through this site.
• Consumer Information Center
  This site is administered by the General Services Administration (GSA) and is truly a treasure trove of information. They have full text versions of hundreds of the best federal consumer publications available for your review. All are FREE! You can search their latest Catalog on-line, or use their search engine to zero in on just what you're looking for.
• Consumer World
  Consumer World® has gathered over 1700 of the most useful consumer resources on the Internet, and categorized them here for easy access. Whether you want to check an airfare, file a consumer complaint with a state agency, read 100s of consumer booklets, find a low rate credit card or mortgage, research a law, look up the wholesale price of a car, locate a Better Business Bureau, find a toll-free number, listen (literally) to the latest news, contact a company's customer service department, comparison shop for bargains and last minute travel, check stock quotes or CD rates, read a movie review or see a preview, clip electronic coupons, or search the Internet, you can do it in Consumer World.