WITH almost 4,100 complaints published for 2019, credit repair services were responsible for almost 600 of that amount, beating parking facilities and airlines on Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) list of complaints for 2019. However, for consumer inquiries, loans, plumbers and roofing contractors held the top spots.

“Consumers tend to have the most issues with and the greatest concern about things that directly affect their finances, whether it is them borrowing money or managing debt,” says Karla Laird, Manager of Community and Public Relations at BBB serving Mainland BC. “However, it is concerning that in many of the complaints, consumers reported feeling pressured and misled into accepting contracts and loans without fully understanding the details and obligations”.

Other complaints about credit repair services included customer service issues, difficulty speaking with a representative once fees were paid and failure to deliver on the services and guaranteed results that were advertised. The level of negative exposure to consumers is one reason why BBB ranks this industry as high risk and implements stricter measures for those businesses interested in our accreditation program.

Here are the top 10 complaints and inquiries by industry for 2019:

Top 10 Complaints for 2019
Credit Repair Services – 589
Parking Facilities – 481
Airlines – 197
Electronic Equipment Dealers – 180
Loans – 172
Online Retailer – 168
Swimwear – 166
Collections Agencies – 153
New Car Dealers – 147
Moving Companies – 138

Top 10 Inquiries for 2019
Loans – 60,504
Plumbers – 57,284
Roofing Contractors – 53,038
General Contractor – 50,654
Home Improvement – 46,615
Moving Companies – 42,514
Home Builders – 31,438
Heating Contractors – 31,190
Collections Agencies – 31,030
Painting Contractors – 29,514

With more than 2 million consumers consulting BBB to find trustworthy businesses and service providers within the province, BBB says it continues to help create a transparent marketplace for everyone. Visit bbb.org to search for a business, leave a customer review or share complaints about your customer experience.