Better Business Bureau releases top complaints from last year
Posted January 12, 2017 3:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The Better Business Bureau is out with its top ten complaints from 2016.
The consumers advocate says there is more to the list than just the number of complaints.
The Top 10 Complaints by Type of Business:
- Parking Lots and Garages: 218 complaints
- Stereo Systems – Dealer (typically big box electronics stores): 200 complaints
- Automobile Dealers – New Cars: 144 complaints
- Movers: 141 complaints
- Telephone Service: 109 complaints
- Furniture Dealers: 107 complaints
- Home décor, Accessories & Gifts – Online: 105 complaints
- Collection Agencies: 103 complaints
- Plumbers: 102 complaints
- Loans: 95 complaints
“There are a lot of complaints in these industries that deal with contract issues, refund issues, and billing or payment problems. In other cases such as the moving industry, we find a plethora of delivery and timing issues,” adds Evan Kelly with the BBB. “Advance fee loan companies are another problem that we deal with on a weekly basis. Those complaints are harder to deal with because these lending companies are fly-by-night and know full well they are scamming people.”
Bigger companies will have more complaints according to Kelly.
He says that is one reason why big phone companies, stereo systems and car dealers are near the top.
“The larger a company is, according to our algorithm, the more they can tolerate complaints. Our algorithm is designed to accommodate that.”
There are some smaller companies that made the list that are
“Precise ParkLink is one company that we’ve sort of had our eye on. They’ve been in the news a little bit with concerns of how they are operating and they currently still have an ‘F’ rating with BBB.”
Kelly says moving companies are concerning to the BBB because it’s mostly unregulated.
He says the best way to make sure that you don’t get the short end of the stick is to research beforehand.
Kelly believes there was an increase in the amount of people looking into companies before their purchase.
The Top 10 BBB Inquiries by Type of Business (Accredited and non-Accredited):
- Roofing Contractors: 69,613 inquiries
- Movers: 67,637 inquiries
- Plumbers: 65,235 inquiries
- Used Car Dealers: 56,433 inquiries
- Renovation Contractors: 54,580 inquiries
- Heating Contractors:33,630 inquiries
- General Contractor: 33,447 inquiries
- Car repair: 29,112 inquiries
- Landscape Contractors: 27,902 inquiries
- Painters: 25,799 inquiries
“What BBB means by inquiry is that a consumer has searched our database for information on a type of business or particular business,” says Kelly. “The consumer may be looking to hire a service provider and wish to view their BBB Business Profile or they may be looking for information on a company they think might be questionable.”
