From November 2025 to October 2026, Quebec's Office de la protection du consommateur (OPC) received 30,445 complaints, according to our count in its open data. Used cars come first by far, with 5,481 complaints, or 18% of the total. Next come home construction and renovation services, then major appliances. These are unverified allegations, and the data names no merchant: to look up a specific business, use the OPC's Get Information About a Merchant tool.
1. How this ranking works
This ranking compares one thing only: the number of complaints the Office de la protection du consommateur received for each category of goods or services over the last full year.
The data comes from the office's open data set, published on Données Québec and updated every month. Each row of the file is one complaint. We counted the complaints from November 2025 to October 2026, in the file updated on November 3, 2026. The current month is not counted, because it is incomplete. The data set is only available in French.
The office states that these complaints were briefly analyzed and are unverified allegations. The file does not contain merchants' names: this ranking is therefore about sectors, not companies. We receive no payment from any merchant, and we redo the count every month.
2. The ranking: the 10 most complained-about categories
Over 12 months, the office received 30,445 complaints, spread over 77 categories, according to our count in its open data. The top 10 categories account for 58% of complaints. Used cars alone draw almost one in five.
The column for the previous year shows the trends: complaints about renovation went up, those about major appliances and furniture went down.
| Rank | Category | Complaints, Nov. 2025 to Oct. 2026 | Share of total | Previous year (Nov. 2024 to Oct. 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Used cars | 5,481 | 18.0% | 5,351 |
| 2 | Home construction, maintenance and renovation services | 2,151 | 7.1% | 1,857 |
| 3 | Major household appliances | 1,940 | 6.4% | 2,334 |
| 4 | New cars | 1,546 | 5.1% | 1,712 |
| 5 | Clothing, jewellery and accessories | 1,279 | 4.2% | 1,227 |
| 6 | Food, beverages and tobacco | 1,261 | 4.1% | 1,462 |
| 7 | Furniture | 1,189 | 3.9% | 1,494 |
| 8 | Heating and air-conditioning equipment | 1,035 | 3.4% | 986 |
| 9 | Vehicle maintenance and repair | 946 | 3.1% | 899 |
| 10 | Electronics | 902 | 3.0% | 777 |
3. Why people complain
Each complaint also has a reason. Here are the three most frequent reasons over the same period:
| Reason | Complaints |
|---|---|
| Quality of goods and services | 9,336 |
| Customer service, no delivery or non-compliance | 8,836 |
| Misleading or unfair practices | 6,439 |
For used cars, the leading reason is the quality of the vehicle. For renovation, it is service, delivery or work that does not match what was agreed.
4. What this ranking does not tell you
A sector at the top of the ranking is not necessarily riskier. People buy many used cars, and each purchase costs a lot: it is normal for them to draw many complaints. The ranking does not take into account the number of sales in each sector.
It also says nothing about a specific merchant, and a complaint is not proof of wrongdoing. For a specific business, use the office's tool described below.
5. Before you buy: check a merchant
The office's Get Information About a Merchant tool lets you check whether the office has intervened with a merchant, whether the merchant has received formal notices from consumers, and whether it holds a permit from the office. You can search by name, address, permit number or Québec Enterprise Number (NEQ). The search results are only available in French.
Be careful: only merchants the office holds information about are listed. For a used car, do this check before you sign, and read our guide on buying a used car.
6. If you have a problem with a merchant
The office suggests steps to follow:
- If your problem falls within its mandate, file a complaint with the office. It will tell you about your rights and remedies and give you tools, but it is up to you to deal with the merchant.
- Negotiate with the merchant.
- Send the merchant a formal notice.
- If the problem is not resolved, go to court: small claims for $15,000 and less, or the Civil Division of the Court of Québec for more than $15,000.
7. Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about the ranking of consumer complaints in Quebec.
Why does the ranking name no merchant?
Because the office's open data does not contain merchants' names, and because these complaints are unverified allegations. Ranking companies on that basis would be unfair. To look up one business, use the office's Get Information About a Merchant tool.
Where do I complain about a phone, Internet or TV problem?
These services also have a federal complaints body, the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS), which handles complaints free of charge once you have given your provider a chance to fix the problem. Our guide on home Internet and TV explains how to prepare your file.
How often is the ranking updated?
The office updates its open data every month. We redo the count every month too, always over the last 12 complete months, and we change the dates shown in this guide at the same time.
8. See also
These related guides may be useful:
- Buying a used car in Quebec — the category with the most complaints, and the checks to do before you sign.
- Regulatory bodies in Quebec — which body to contact depending on your problem.
- Free budget help from the ACEFs — community organizations that also help with consumer problems.
- Chequing account fees for newcomers — another ranking based on one checkable criterion.
Author's note: This ranking does not tell you where to buy, but where to be careful. For a big purchase, such as a used car or renovation work, take a few minutes to check the merchant with the office, and keep everything in writing.
