Important Information-Please read first

• The Consumer Affairs Branch investigates and responds to complaints concerning tenant-landlord, cable, and consumer problems.  Complaints are resolved through voluntary mediation or arbitration between the parties. We can assist you if your dispute involves a business or tenant/landlord transaction that occurred in Fairfax County (excluding the City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax, and the City of Falls Church.)
• If you have a question or need advice about a consumer issue, contact Consumer Affairs at 703-222-8435, TTY 711 to speak to a consumer specialist.  Our business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
• We do not provide legal advice, legal representation, or pursue matters in court on behalf of individual complainants.
• We do not regulate prices or rent. We do not handle employee vs. employer disputes, discrimination disputes, business vs. business disputes, or cases against government agencies. 

If You Have a Complaint

• Please be sure you have made an effort to resolve this matter by dealing directly with the manager or owner of the company or landlord involved. If you have exhausted all efforts to resolve the complaint yourself, complete this form, and electronically submit it to this Branch.
• Submit your supporting documentation such as leases, contracts, repair invoices, receipts, and advertisements within five days of the submission of your complaint so it can be reviewed and processed. 
• Please delete or mark through all personal, confidential, or financial information such as a social security numbers, bank account numbers or credit card numbers before submitting your complaint and supporting documentation.
• All documentation provided to our branch will be shared with the business or landlord and becomes a  part of the public record, which upon request may be disclosed pursuant to Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act.
• Your supporting documentation can be faxed, mailed, or emailed to Consumer Affairs. 

• Download the complaint form here.

 NOTE:  To send multiple files, zip the files first and  attach the zip file. The filename you attach can only contain alpha numeric characters (no special characters such as ‘, _*).  The file size cannot be more than five megabytes. 

Our contact information is as follows:

• Consumer Affairs Branch
• Department of Cable and Consumer Services
• 12000 Government Center Parkway,
• Suite 433
• Fairfax, VA 22035
• Main Line:  703-222-8435,  TTY 711   Fax:  703-653-1310        
• https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/cableconsumer/csd/consumer

State Consumer Protection Office

The Consumer Protection Section of the Virginia Attorney General's Office serves as the central clearinghouse for the receipt, evaluation, investigation, and referral of consumer complaints. Complaints are either assigned within the section or referred to the appropriate local, state or federal agency having specific jurisdiction. The section also offers alternative dispute resolution services. When there is a pattern of deception or other wrongdoing, the attorney general is authorized to take action to stop the illegal conduct, and, where appropriate, seek refunds for affected consumers. The Consumer Protection Section handles complaints that occurred in Virginia (including the City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax and the City of Falls Church). Contact information is listed below:

Virginia Attorney General's Office
Consumer Protection Section
900 East Main Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
Consumer Protection Hotline (within VA): 800-552-9963
Richmond area and outside of VA: (804) 786-2042
Fax: (804) 225-4378
Website: http://www.oag.state.va.us/consumer-protection/

What is the complaint process?

• After your complaint is processed and assigned to a consumer specialist, you will receive in writing a case number and information for contacting the consumer specialist who will assist you with your complaint. 
• Your complaint may also be referred to local, state, or federal agencies that have jurisdiction.
• All cases are assigned a case number. When contacting Consumer Affairs or submitting information regarding your complaint, please provide this number to expedite the handling of your complaint.   
• A copy of your complaint, along with all documentation you submit will be sent to the business or landlord with a request to respond to the complaint within ten days after the business or landlord receives the complaint. 
• If the business or landlord fails to respond to the initial letter, the consumer specialist will send another letter or attempt to contact the business or landlord for a response.
• Any response received from the business or landlord will be sent to you.
• If mediation is not successful, you may consider pursuing the matter through the civil court system or through the services of a private attorney.  
•  If you have any questions, please contact the consumer specialist assigned to your case for assistance. 

Disclaimers

• By signing this form, you authorize the Consumer Affairs Branch and any other local, state, or federal agencies to which we may refer your case, to evaluate your complaint, to contact you and to take whatever lawful actions are deemed appropriate in your case.
• Closed complaints will stay on file for three years from the date of closure and will then be destroyed in accordance with established procedures for destroying public records. 
• Closed complaints are subject to public disclosure under the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Virginia Code Section 2.2-3700 et seq. For this reason, we ask that you do not provide us with your Social Security Number or with any other personal financial information not related to this complaint. 
• The information requested on the official Consumer Complaint Form, and all subsequent requests by this Branch for additional information, are subject to the Governmental Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act, Virginia Code Section 2.2-3800 et seq.

Disclosures

• The information requested on this form and on any subsequent requests for additional information is subject to the Virginia Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act, Va. Code Section 2.2 -3800 et seq.
• All information provided to this office is available for public inspection under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700, et seq., Code of Virginia), except in the case of ongoing investigations.  Closed complaints will be retained for three years after closure and then destroyed.
• By signing this form, you authorize the Consumer Affairs Branch and any other local, state, or federal agencies to which we may refer your case, to evaluate your complaint, to contact you, and to take whatever lawful actions are deemed appropriate in your case.
• By signing this form, you certify that the statements made herein or on any attached documentation are true and complete to the best of your knowledge, information and belief.