In recognition of National Consumer Protection Week, the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) has released its Top Ten Consumer Complaint Categories for 2025, highlighting trends that affected thousands of households across the state.
The division also announced that it helped Tennessee consumers recover more than $3.6 million in cash, merchandise, and services through its voluntary mediation program this year.
In 2025 alone, DCA received 9,938 formal consumer complaints and worked to route each one to the appropriate agency or mediate disputes directly between consumers and businesses. The division’s informal mediation process provides a free, good-faith pathway to resolve disagreements involving purchases of products or services for personal or household use.
“Our goal is simple: help Tennesseans resolve disputes and protect their hard-earned money,” said Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. “In 2025, that work translated into real results for thousands of families across the state.”
Home improvements and home warranties once again topped the list for the second consecutive year, with 760 complaints. Consumers most often reported incomplete work, poor workmanship, structural damage, and disputes over warranty coverage.
Internet sales climbed to the number two spot with 743 complaints, rising from fourth place in 2024. Many consumers cited undelivered products, difficulty obtaining refunds, and concerns tied to online and social media advertisements.
Debtor and creditor issues ranked third with 644 complaints, reflecting concerns involving debt collection practices, payday lending, credit repair services, and account management disputes.
Motor vehicle repair and warranty issues followed closely behind with 617 complaints. Consumers frequently reported long repair delays, unavailable parts, and disagreements over warranty coverage.
Landlord and tenant disputes ranked fifth with 602 complaints, often centered on security deposit disagreements, property conditions, and maintenance responsiveness.
Personal and professional services accounted for 600 complaints. These included dissatisfaction with service quality, billing disputes, and issues involving unredeemed gift certificates.
Used motor vehicle sales and advertising generated 592 complaints. Consumers reported misrepresentation of vehicle conditions, title problems, and misleading advertisements.
Health services and products came in eighth with 590 complaints, largely involving billing inaccuracies and unexpected service costs.
Timeshares and vacation clubs generated 532 complaints, with consumers citing high-pressure sales tactics, contract misrepresentation, and resale scams.
Rounding out the top 10 were motor vehicle lease, towing, rental, and parking disputes, which totaled 377 complaints.
Beyond complaint resolution, the Division of Consumer Affairs continues its efforts to educate and empower Tennesseans. In 2025, the division conducted 44 educational outreach events statewide, including 35 presentations at senior centers. Officials say the goal is to help residents avoid scams, make informed purchasing decisions, and better understand their consumer rights.
Consumers can file a complaint or access free educational resources at <www.tn.gov/consumer>. Community groups interested in requesting a free consumer protection presentation may contact <consumer.affairs@ag.tn.gov>.
