Complain about a product or service

Try to Settle!

Small Claims Guide • What it is • Try to settle • Q&A • Be prepared • If you win • State-by-state guide

Your demand letter should include:

• a summary of the facts;
• what you see as the damages, and
• a clear request that the other party pay up by a certain date.

Be sure to include your contact information (phone/fax numbers, e-mail, etc.)

If you reach an agreement, write down terms of settlement. In exchange for paying you the money, the other party may ask you to sign a "release," giving up further claims against him.

If all this is too overwhelming, seek the help of a mediator or arbitrator. Toledo, Ohio, attorney Edward Snyder, a volunteer mediator, points out that many cases sent from the courtroom to a mediator do get resolved. You can usually find a mediator through the clerk's office of your local court.

Next: If you can't settle, it's on to the courthouse.

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If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

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