If the squeaky wheel gets the grease, some consumer complaints should be addressed eventually.
Consumers have had problems with the providers of some services and products year after year -- and they have complained year after year.
Identity theft is now the fastest growing complaint, but it still has not cracked the top 10 in numbers, according to the Consumer Federation of America and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators.
The two organizations ranked the10 compliants that are heard most often based on information from local and state consumer protection agencies. Following are the top 10 things bugging consumers, with the one receiving the most complaints listed last.
No. 8. (Tie) Internet Sales
Misleading claims, unlicensed practitioners, failure to deliver.
No. 8 Health Products/Services
Misrepresentations or other deceptive practices, failure to deliver online purchases.
No. 7 Home Solicitations
Misrepresentations or failure to deliver in door-to-door, telemarketing or mail solicitations, do-not-call violations.
No. 6 Landlord/Tenant
Unhealthy or unsafe conditions, failure to make repairs or provide promised amenities, deposit and rent disputes, illegal eviction tactics.
No. 5 Services
Misrepresentations, shoddy work, failure to have required licenses, failure to perform.
No. 4 (Tie) Utilities
Service problems or billing disputes with phone, cable, satellite, Internet, electric and gas service.
No. 4 Retail Sales
False advertising and other deceptive practices, defective merchandise, problems with rebates, coupons, gift cards and gift certificates, failure to deliver.
No. 3 Credit/Debt
Billing and fee disputes, mortgage modifications and mortgage-related fraud, credit repair, debt relief services, predatory lending, illegal or abusive debt collection tactics.
No. 2 Home Improvement/Construction
Shoddy work, failure to start or complete the job
No. 1 Auto
Misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, lemons, faulty repairs, leasing and towing disputes.