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What you can complain about
If a business has used misleading marketing, you may be able to complain about false claims, hidden charges, fake discounts, or promotional offers that were not as described. Poor customer treatment can also be grounds for complaint if staff behaved unfairly, ignored your issue, or refused to deal with it properly.
In the UK, consumer rights law and advertising standards give you protection against misleading information and unfair trading. If the product or service did not match what was advertised, you may be entitled to a refund, repair, replacement, or other remedy.
First steps to take
Start by gathering evidence. Keep copies of adverts, screenshots, emails, receipts, order confirmations, and notes of any calls or chats with customer service.
Then contact the business directly and explain what went wrong. Say clearly what you want, such as a refund, correction of the misleading claim, or compensation for poor service.
Possible remedies from the business
The most common remedy is a refund, especially where the product or service was misrepresented. You may also be offered a repair, replacement, price reduction, or cancellation of the contract.
For poor treatment, the business may apologise, investigate staff conduct, and offer goodwill compensation or a gesture of apology. While this is not guaranteed, many firms will resolve complaints to avoid further action.
Escalating the complaint
If the business does not respond properly, you can escalate the complaint through its formal complaints process. Ask for a final response, as this may be needed before you can take the matter further.
If the company is part of a trade association or uses an ombudsman scheme, you may be able to refer the complaint there. These schemes can sometimes order the business to put things right or recommend compensation.
Reporting misleading marketing
You can report misleading adverts to the Advertising Standards Authority if an advert is obviously inaccurate, exaggerated, or likely to confuse consumers. The ASA can investigate and require the advert to be changed or withdrawn.
For unfair trading or misleading sales practices, you can also contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service. They pass information to Trading Standards, who may investigate serious or repeated wrongdoing.
Other legal options
If you paid by credit card and the purchase cost was between £100 and £30,000, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act may protect you. Your card provider could be jointly responsible if the trader misled you or breached contract.
If you paid by debit card or card payment, chargeback may be an option. For larger or unresolved disputes, you may need legal advice or help from the small claims court.
Frequently Asked Questions
It applies when a business makes false, deceptive, or incomplete marketing claims and then treats customers unfairly when they complain or seek help.
Any customer, consumer, or client who was affected by misleading advertising, false promises, or poor complaint handling can usually file a complaint.
Useful evidence includes ads, screenshots, emails, contracts, receipts, chat logs, call recordings, complaint tickets, and photos showing the misleading claim or poor treatment.
Keep a timeline, save all communications, store copies of marketing materials, and note dates, names, and what was promised versus what was delivered.
You can report it to the company, consumer protection agencies, advertising regulators, industry ombudsmen, or a small claims court if money loss is involved.
Possible remedies include refunds, replacements, contract cancellation, compensation, corrected advertising, apologies, and escalation to regulators or court.
Yes, if the misleading marketing caused you to buy a product or service, a refund may be available depending on the facts and local consumer law.
Yes, compensation may be available for financial loss, extra costs, or harm caused by relying on misleading claims and receiving poor customer treatment.
Deadlines vary by country, regulator, and type of claim, so it is best to act quickly and check the applicable limitation periods.
State the misleading claim, explain how it affected you, describe the poor treatment you received, and clearly say what remedy you want.
Yes, many companies and regulators provide online complaint forms, email addresses, or portals for submitting misleading marketing and customer treatment complaints.
If the company denies it, ask for a written explanation, provide your evidence, escalate the complaint, and consider external dispute resolution or legal advice.
Yes, many cases are resolved through direct negotiation, mediation, chargebacks, complaint services, or regulator intervention without going to court.
A chargeback may help reverse a card payment when a purchase was made because of misleading marketing and the seller refuses a fair remedy.
Consumer protection laws often prohibit deceptive marketing and unfair treatment, and they may give you rights to refunds, compensation, or enforcement action.
Yes, repeated complaints, regulator findings, and poor handling of customers can damage trust, reviews, and public reputation.
Ordinary dissatisfaction is about not liking a product, while these complaints involve deceptive claims, false expectations, or unfair treatment when seeking help.
Yes, keep copies of everything you submit and receive so you can track progress and use the records if you need to escalate the matter.
Yes, if you have a clear financial loss and the amount fits the court's limits, small claims court may be an option.
Check independent reviews, read terms carefully, verify claims, keep screenshots of offers, and choose businesses with strong complaint handling and customer service.
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