In recognition of National Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Charity Clark announced the top 10 consumer complaints received by her office’s Consumer Assistance Program (CAP) in 2024. In keeping with past years, the top complaints involved vehicles, home improvement matters, and retail, which collectively represent 48% of all complaints filed in 2024. Attorney General Clark also released CAP’s 2024 Annual Report in which the program details its record-high recoveries and savings for Vermont consumers, totaling more than $2 million.
“Vermonters should know that they have rights as consumers, and the Consumer Assistance Program is free and here to help navigate consumer problems that arise,” said Attorney General Clark. “Every day, the Consumer Assistance Program helps consumers and businesses resolve disputes, and last year returned $2 million in savings to Vermonters. Thank you for being our eyes and ears in reporting consumer problems to my office!”
While the top 10 consumer complaints of 2024 remained largely the same as those of 2023, there was a noticeable difference in fuel disputes reported last year. Fuel complaints moved back up to the No. 4 spot from No. 10 in 2023.
Chart shows amounts Vermont’s Consumer Assistance Program has recovered each year.
In addition to mediating 63 propane-related complaints in 2024, CAP responded to 68 inquiries from fuel providers and consumers about the application of the “Propane Rule,” a consumer protection rule enforced by the Attorney General’s Office.
Again, this year, the top complaints reported to CAP were auto and home improvement complaints. CAP has made great strides in addressing the issue of home improvement by hiring a home improvement specialist in July of 2023. As a result, in the year-and-a-half since the home improvement specialist joined CAP, more than $800,000 has been recovered or saved by Vermont homeowners.
In Vermont, businesses can be considered consumers too, and in 2024, businesses continued to utilize the services provided by the Small Business Initiative (SBI) at CAP. Businesses filed 69 consumer complaints in 2024 and CAP was able to recover over $550,000 for businesses. In addition to complaint mediation, the SBI has provided outreach and education efforts to businesses across Vermont in areas such as flood resources, scam prevention, and issue spotting.
CAP is a program based at the University of Vermont in partnership with the Attorney General’s Office that has been serving Vermonters for over four decades.
The program’s primary goal is to address consumer problems in Vermont, which it does through its mediation service, outreach, and education. Staff, with the help of service-learning students, manage informal inquiries, provide referrals to resources, and engage in mediation of consumer complaints. In 2024, the program received 8,705 unique contacts, including reports of scams, and provided extensive mediation services on 1,277 consumer complaints.
Vermonters experiencing consumer problems should contact CAP for help. CAP can help address consumer concerns before, during, and after problems arise, and complaints filed help to identify trends in consumer problems. CAP data is reviewed by the Vermont Legislature when considering consumer protection laws, for enforcement by the Attorney General’s Office, and for consumer education and outreach. Vermonters may reach CAP by calling 1-800-649-2424 or visiting ago.vermont.gov/cap.
The nature of the top 10 disputes that the Attorney General’s office received last year.
