How to Complain About Bad Business Practices: Part II
by: Developed from materials provided by Consumer Action
Second Steps: If at first you don't succeed
If at First You Do Not Succeed . . . .
If you have done the things listed in How To Complain: First Steps and still cannot get your problem fixed, there are other things you can do
Ask an organization for help . . . .
If you have done all you can on your own, an organization might be able to help you. These are called Consumer Groups. When someone else complains for you, it may help to get your problem fixed.
Asking the Government for Help . . . .
To ask for help send a letter. Describe your problem. Tell the office what you want done. Explain happened when you tried to get the problem fixed. Send copies of any complaint letters plus a note stating what you want the government office to do.
You can ask it tell you about the law. You can ask it to check out the business you are complaining about.
To find the name, phone number and address of a government office, look in your phone book. You might have to make a call or two to find the office that handles your type of complaint.
Hold a protest. When you protest you stand on the street outside the business that is giving you trouble. You carry signs that tell what the company did.
You can hand out flyers telling the what the company did. Be careful not to block traffic, break any laws or say anything in your flyers that you cannot prove. It may be worth asking a lawyer if anything you wrote on your flyers can get you in legal trouble.
You can also ask the public to do things. They can stop buying from the business or write complaint letters. When you ask the public to stop buying things it is called a "boycott."
Protests work best when the company has done the same thing to many people and many people want change.
Stop Payment . . . .
When you stop payment on a check, the person you gave it to will not be able to cash it. Your bank will charge you a fee for this. If you do this, return the item. If the business tells you not to, go ahead and stop payment if the check has not been cashed.
Other Tips . . . .
If you sue in court you will need proof. This can include receipts, letters, canceled checks, billing statements, repair orders and warranties. Keep these things until you are sure you will not need them. If you go to court, the other side can make you prove that you bought and paid for the item or service you are complaining about.
Everybody's problems are unique. This website cannot tell you how your case will be decided.
This website can be used to help you learn the law. It can help you understand your rights. It can assist you in getting the help you need.
If you need more help than this website can give on your specific problem, you should contact a lawyer. If you are low-income and wish to apply for an attorney through Wyoming Legal Services, please click here.
Whether you are low-income or not, if you have questions about your case or are uncertain in any way, it is a good idea to talk to a lawyer before taking legal action.
Hiring a Lawyer.
Hiring a lawyer is a big deal. Be sure to shop around.
Before hiring a lawyer, you should ask a lot of questions.
Hire a lawyer you feel you can trust.
This website gives information on what to look for in a lawyer. This web site is not advertising for any particular lawyer.
E-mail.
Using this website or sending an e-mail to Wyoming LawHelp does not mean that Wyoming LawHelp is your lawyer.
It is important to understand that if you email WLWP and put facts about your case in the email that WLWP will keep your information confidential. It is also important to understand that what you put in your email may not be confidential if you go to litigation on your legal problem. This means that the information you provide could be used against you in court. This is not a good thing! Think twice about what you write in an email! If you have any concerns at all, call our offices or talk to a lawyer!
For all these reasons, you may wish to use the telephone or talk in person when looking for a lawyer.
Deadlines
If you are handling your own case or do not yet have a lawyer, it is very important that you not miss deadlines! You may lose your legal rights if you do not take action right away.
This means getting a lawyer right away if that is what you want.
If you don't have a lawyer call the clerk of court to find out what deadlines apply to you.
Getting It Right
Wyoming LawHelp is offered as public service. We try to make the information correct as of the date of the materials.
Sometimes the laws change. We cannot promise that this information is always up-to-date and correct, but we are doing our best to give you the best information we can.
Links
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Wyoming Legal Services is a statewide program that works to improve
access to justice for Wyoming citizens. Wyoming Legal Services
provides free legal services, including legal analysis, representation,
information and education to low-income persons. We also
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(Latino Resource Center), The Legal Services Clinic (University of
Wyoming), The Self-Help Center, The Students` Attorney Office
(University of Wyoming), The Wyoming Guardianship Corporation, Wyoming
Legal Services, The Wyoming State Bar Foundation and The Wyoming Supreme
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