Start with the right route
Consumers often ask a simple question: "Who do I complain to?" The honest answer is that it depends on the sector, the size of the dispute and how far the trader's own complaints process has run. This guide is a signposting map — not a substitute for our full Consumer Guidance or the Make a Complaint page, but a quick way to work out where to start.
Step 1 — Complain to the trader first
Almost every route to redress requires you to have tried to resolve the issue directly with the trader first.
- Put your complaint in writing (email is fine).
- Explain what happened, what you want and by when.
- Ask for a copy of the trader's complaints procedure.
- Keep a dated record of correspondence.
Most complaints are resolved at this stage. If yours is not, ask for a final response — sometimes called a "deadlock" letter.
For a fuller walkthrough, see Consumer Complaints Guidance: After the Trader's Final Response.
Step 2 — Check whether a statutory ombudsman applies
In some sectors, an ombudsman scheme is the correct next step and ADR providers cannot handle those complaints:
- Financial services — Financial Ombudsman Service;
- Energy — Ombudsman Services: Energy;
- Communications — CISAS or Ombudsman Services: Communications;
- Water — Consumer Council for Water;
- Legal services — Legal Ombudsman;
- New-build homes — New Homes Ombudsman Service.
If your dispute falls in one of these areas, contact that scheme directly.
Step 3 — Consider accredited Consumer ADR
Outside those specialised sectors, an accredited Consumer ADR provider such as ProMediate is often the fastest and most proportionate route. Under the DMCC Act 2024, only accredited providers can offer ADR in consumer contract disputes, and traders are expected to signpost you to their accredited provider.
Use accredited Consumer ADR when:
- You have complained to the trader and reached deadlock;
- The dispute concerns a consumer contract (goods, services, digital content);
- The trader has agreed to participate — or has a duty to signpost you;
- You want a proportionate, private, expert-led process rather than court.
Start a referral on the Make a Complaint page.
Step 4 — Trading Standards and Citizens Advice
Some issues are less about your individual contract and more about the trader's wider conduct. These belong with Trading Standards, reached via the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or at citizensadvice.org.uk:
- Counterfeit goods;
- Doorstep crime and pressure selling;
- Misleading pricing or advertising;
- Product safety concerns;
- Unfair commercial practices;
- Weights and measures problems.
Trading Standards can take enforcement action even where ADR is not available.
Step 5 — The courts as a last resort
Court proceedings — usually the small claims track for disputes up to £10,000 — remain available, but they are typically the slowest and most stressful route. Judges routinely expect parties to have considered ADR first and can penalise a party in costs for an unreasonable refusal to engage.
If ADR is available and appropriate, it is almost always worth trying before issuing a claim.
How this differs from our other pages
- The Consumer Guidance page explains how ProMediate's ADR process works.
- The Make a Complaint page is where you actually submit a case to us.
- This article is a broader signposting map for consumers who are not yet sure which route applies.