We've had quite a few tweets and questions asking what's the best way to complain to the authorities when they aren't getting their rights. The Consumer Protection Law protects all products and services, whether charged for or free.

Need to log a complaint? You've got a couple of options: you can either call, send an SMS, or file your complaint online!

How to file a complaint

• Call the Consumer Protection Department (CPD) and log a complaint.
  • Toll-free: 16001
  • Hotline (outside of Qatar): +974 4494 5555 or +974 4494 5001
  • WhatsApp: +974 6611 1400
• SMS your complaint to 92665 - According to Hukoomi all you need to do is send your complaint or suggestion + the word 'consumer'.
• If you prefer to complain online, you can also fill out the digital complaint form.
• If you do complain, make sure to have as much evidence as possible.
  • Name of the party against whom you wish to submit your complaint, his address, work nature, violation type, and place of complaint.
  • A detailed statement of damage caused to you, if applicable.
  • A copy of the invoice must be presented when submitting the complaint. Without the original invoice or a copy, the Consumer Protection Department will not be able to consider the complaint.
  • You'll receive a text message verifying your complaint reference so you can follow up later.
• You can always file a complaint directly to the CPD office in West Bay on Omar Al Mukhtar Street.

Know your rights

The law sets out a basic bill of rights for consumers, some of which are:

• The right to health and safety in the ordinary use of products and services.
• The right to obtain correct information on products and services.
• The right to obtain all relevant product or service information in Arabic as well as other languages.
• The right to return, replace or repair the product free of charge, if a defect is found or it doesn’t meet standard specifications or its purpose.
• The right to find all relevant product information, including its type, nature, components etc.
• The right to find the price of the product displayed.
• The right to obtain a dated invoice for the product purchased.
• The right to obtain all warranties relevant to the product offered by the producer or agent.
• The right to obtain another free product if the period of executing warranty terms exceeded 15 days until the warranty terms are fully honoured.
• The right to take legal recourse on any breach or restriction of their consumer rights.
• As a consumer, you are entitled to claim compensation for any damage to property caused as a result of buying or using a product or service.

Accordingly, the supplier is obligated to refund the value of the product or replace or repair it without charge if:

• A defect is discovered in the product or
• The product does not meet standard specifications for its purpose.

Rules on misleading and false advertisements

The Consumer Protection Law prohibits the selling, displaying, offering, promotion and advertisement of any spoilt or expired products, i.e. the product has exceeded its validity date or does not conform to prescribed specifications.

Suppliers are also prohibited from describing, advertising or displaying products using false or misleading information.

Rules on labelling

Suppliers are obligated to display the following information clearly and legibly on all labels:

• The price of the product or service (or display the price prominently at the point of purchase).
• The type, nature and ingredients of the product.

The law also protects consumers who pay for goods or services by instalment. In these cases, the supplier must provide the following information:

• The total cost of the product or service.
• The total cost of the product or service when purchased by instalment.
• The amount is to be paid in advance (if applicable).
• The instalment period.
• The number of instalments for each period and the amount owed on each instalment.

Penalties for suppliers

Suppliers who breach any of the provisions of the law may face "detention for a term not exceeding two years and fine".

The fine is between QR 3,000 and QR 1 million. This penalty doubles if the supplier repeats the offence within five years of the original infringement.

If the supplier fails to advise of a dangerous commodity, the fine is between QR 15,000 and QR 1 million. However, suppliers who unintentionally advertise incorrect information are excluded from this penalty if it is determined that the information provided was too technical to verify.

The amendment further adds that violating shops can be closed for up to three months if the violations are repeated.

Consumer Rights Action

The law permits citizens to set up consumer rights societies and groups that help provide consumers with information, defend consumers’ interests, convey concerns and complaints to relevant authorities, and research and publish studies related to consumer protection.

• Visit the official site at www.mec.gov.qa.
• Download a copy of the Consumer Protection Law (8) of 2008 and its amendments.

RELATED:

• Online delivery platforms in Qatar obligated to follow consumer protection laws or face penalties
• How to issue complaints related to poor hygiene against food shops in Qatar
• All you need to know about making a complaint or reporting something in Qatar

We hope you learned more about your rights through this article! Did you think the article was helpful? Let us know in the comments below! Do share this article with your family and friends!

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ILQ Staff

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