• Please make sure you included the full name and address of both you and the business, and how you want the complaint resolved.  
  
• If any item is missing YOUR COMPLAINT WILL NOT BE PROCESSED! If you have not listed a resolution or have filled out NOTHING as the answer to desired settlement YOUR COMPLAINT WILL ALSO NOT BE PROCESSED. 
  
•  If your complaint is one that we can process (SEE BELOW), you will be getting a confirmation email if you provide your email address or a mailing within 10 business days from the Houston BBB acknowledging the receipt of your complaint and it will include your case number.

• If you don't receive it in 10 business days please email us back bbbinfo@bbbhou.org. 

• Please give the office 30 days to get your complaint to the business and get a response back from the company.  

• We will let you know the response we receive from the company as soon as we receive it.  

• Any questions regarding your complaint should be addressed IN WRITING via email, fax 713.867.4947, or mail: Houston BBB Attn.: Complaint Department 1333 West Loop South Suite 1200 Houston, TX  77027. 

• Please reference your complaint  number on all correspondence; the complaint number will come on the postcard you receive from our office. 

• Phone calls to the BBB in regarding  your complaint are discouraged since it is better for all parties if all requests and explanations be in hard copy format so we avoid any mis-communication. You are more than welcome to email us at bbbinfo@bbbhou.org to check the status of your complaint, again please reference your case number.

•  You can also call and leave a message to check the status of your complaint at 713.341.6167.  

• Please be patient as  all correspondence must be mailed, "snail mail" via the Postal Service, and we give the companies 30 calendar days to respond to your complaint ONCE IT REACHES THEIR OFFICE.  

• We are a reporting agency only. If the company is a member of the Houston BBB they are required to respond to your complaint. 

•  We do process complaints on both members and non-members.

• Non-member companies are under no obligation to respond. 

• If a non-member chooses not to respond or satisfy the customer’s complaint, it becomes a part of the public reliability report kept on file for the company for 36 months with a general explanation as to the nature of the complaint. 

• Any "normal" complaint remains on a member and/or non-member company’s records for 3 years or 36 months from the date that it is closed.
   

• Personal information will not be released to third parties except to further the purpose for which you provide the information, such as sending your complaint to the company for action, or if release is required by law or is pertinent to judicial or governmental investigations or proceedings. Your information may also be released to the media upon their request. There are no other circumstances under which we will provide or sell personal information to third parties.

You can now check the reliability report of any Houston business on our website.   www.bbbhou.org  To check out a business that is based outside of our area you may go directly to  www.bbb.org   

You can get a list of our members off of our site too.  Just go to our main page and click on Find Member and Search.  They are broken down into categories of types of companies.

Here are some issues the Houston BBB does not handle as complaints: *  

1)   Complaints regarding salary, employment, and employment discrimination. For help with such problems please contact the State Board of Labor 800.832.9243

2)   Complaints regarding breaking legal contracts, such as stopping payment on a check.

3)   Complaints between private individuals.

4)   Complaints where the warranty has expired or where a product or service that was purchased "as is".

5)   Complaints regarding store policy that is clearly stated.

6)   Complaints that are addressed to either the company or a regulatory agency, cc'ing the BBB.

7)   Complaints on companies that are out of businesses.

8)   Complaints where the consumer is seeking punitive damages only, these cases are best served by a court.

 *ALL COMPLAINTS ARE REVIEWED WHEN FILED TO SEE IF THEY MEET OUR ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

As a matter of policy, the Better Business Bureau does not endorse any product, service or company. 

Other Consumer Complaint Resources:

·        Attorney General of Texas www.oag.state.tx.us

Harris County District Attorney's Office

·        Federal Trade Commission www.ftc.gov

·        KTRK-TV13: mail to Action 13, PO Box 13, Houston, TX 77001 or fax a complaint to 713.663.8766

·        Fox 26 Investigates fox26investigates@fox26.com

·        Amy Davis Click 2 Houston Investigators   phone 713.223.TIPS or 713.223.8477 or by email at troubleshooter@click2 houston.com

KHOU-TV 11 News Consumer Unit
email: defenders@khou.com
or phone: 713-526-1111
 

Our Contact Information:

The Dispute Resolution Department 
Houston Better Business Bureau
1333 West Loop South Suite 1200
Houston, TX  77027

713.341.6167 - complaint status line

713.867.4947 Fax

bbbinfo@bbbhou.org

www.bbbhou.org Local Houston area website.

www.bbb.org  National BBB Website.

Main switchboard: 713.868.9500  

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

After Your Complaint Has Been Received 

• We review your complaint and forward a photocopy  to the business for their review and reply. 
• The company has 30 days to respond to the Bureau
• As soon as we receive a response from the business, it will be photocopied and mailed to you for review and feedback
• We will contact you via email or mail if we have not received a reply from the company in 20 days.
• I feel more comfortable responding in my native language.  Does the BBB accept non-English complaints?  Yes, we do accept responses submitted in languages other than English.

If the company does not respond within 30 business days we do the following

• Close your complaint as unanswered (non-members only)
• Update the company report to reflect that the company did not answer
• Your complaint will remain on file for three years
• Your next step is small claims court for general information on how to file        (713)-755-5137
• If the company responds at anytime, we will forward the response to you.
• You may also email any updates to:  status@bbbhou.org
• Member companies are REQUIRED to respond and resolve complaints for consumers.
• To find out if a company is a member visit our website www.bbbhou.org or contact us at the phone number 24 hours a day.  (713)-868-9500
• If a company is a member of the BBB it will state so in their report
• You may check the status of your complaint via email or by calling (713)-341-6167.
• You are encouraged to stay in direct contact with the company during our complaint process.
• Any "normal" complaint remains on a member and/or non-member company’s records for 3 years or 36 months from the date that it is closed. This occurs only after the complaint is closed out.

FILE A COMPLAINT

The Better Business Bureau does not endorse, recommend, or disapprove any product, service or organization.