If a shop, online seller or service provider in Chennai refuses to fix a problem, start with the National Consumer Helpline: dial the toll-free 1915, between 8 am and 8 pm, or message 88000 01915 on WhatsApp. The helpline works in 17 languages, including Tamil, and passes your complaint to the company for a response before you need to think about a legal case.
If that does not work, the next step is a complaint before a consumer commission, which can be filed online. For anything you paid up to ₹5 lakh, there is no filing fee. Festive weeks bring a spike in disputes over late deliveries, defective appliances, unhonoured warranties and refunds that never arrive, so it helps to know the route before you need it.
Step one: the National Consumer Helpline
The National Consumer Helpline (NCH) is run by the Union Department of Consumer Affairs. It is a pre-litigation forum: it does not pass orders, but it takes your grievance to the company and records the reply. Companies can sign up as “convergence partners” with NCH, which lets complaints be routed to them directly; the partner list is on the NCH site.
Ways to register:
- Call 1915 (toll-free) or +91 88000 01915.
- WhatsApp or SMS to 88000 01915; the helpline also offers a call-back facility.
- Online at consumerhelpline.gov.in, through the NCH app, or the UMANG app.
Keep ready your name, mobile number, the company’s name, the order or invoice number, dates, the amount paid and a short account of what went wrong. You can upload bills, screenshots and photos, and track the docket number online.
Step two: put it in writing to the company
Before going to a commission, send the trader a clear written complaint, by email or registered post, stating the problem, what you want (repair, replacement, refund or compensation) and a reasonable deadline. Keep proof of sending. This record matters if the case goes further, and it often resolves things on its own.
Step three: the consumer commission
The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 set up Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions at three levels: district, State and national. They work much like courts, but with simpler procedure, and you do not need a lawyer to file. The Act and all its rules are on the Department of Consumer Affairs’ rules page.
Which commission hears your case
It depends on the value of the goods or services you paid for, not the compensation you claim. The jurisdiction rules notified on 30 December 2021 set these limits:
| Commission | Value of goods or services paid |
|---|---|
| District Commission | Up to ₹50 lakh |
| State Commission | Above ₹50 lakh, up to ₹2 crore |
| National Commission | Above ₹2 crore |
So a phone, a washing machine, an insurance claim of modest size or most flat booking deposits go to the district commission. Chennai has its own district consumer commissions, and the Tamil Nadu State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission also sits in the city for higher-value cases and appeals. You can generally file where the opposite party carries on business or where you live or work.
What it costs
Filing fees are graded by the amount paid, under amendment rules published in the Gazette of India in August 2023:
- up to ₹5 lakh: nil
- above ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh: ₹200
- above ₹10 lakh to ₹20 lakh: ₹400
- above ₹20 lakh to ₹50 lakh: ₹1,000
- higher bands rise in steps, up to ₹7,500 above ₹10 crore
Filing online
Complaints can be filed online without visiting the commission, through the Ministry’s e-Jagriti platform, which brings consumer commission services together. Typically you will:
- Register with your mobile number and email.
- Enter the details of the opposite party and the complaint.
- Upload the complaint, an affidavit and supporting documents as PDFs.
- Pay the fee online, if any applies.
- Track admission, hearing dates and orders online.
What helps your case
- The bill or invoice, warranty card and order confirmation.
- Photos or videos of the defect, and job sheets from service centres.
- Your written complaint to the company and its reply, or proof that it did not reply.
- Your NCH docket number and the outcome.
- A clear statement of the relief you want.
File promptly. The law sets a time limit for complaints from the date the problem arose, and any delay has to be explained. Consumer commissions can order refunds, replacement, compensation and costs.
For anything beyond a routine dispute, consider advice from a lawyer or a recognised consumer organisation in Chennai. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Fraud is different
If you were cheated into paying a fake seller or someone used your bank account without permission, that is a cybercrime, not a consumer dispute. Call 1930 and report on cybercrime.gov.in first.
Quick answers
What is the consumer helpline number?
1915, from 8 am to 8 pm, or WhatsApp 88000 01915.
Is there a fee to file a consumer case?
Not if you paid ₹5 lakh or less. Above that, fees start at ₹200.
Do I need a lawyer to file a consumer case?
No. You can file and argue your own case before a consumer commission.
Is NCH’s decision binding?
No. NCH mediates before litigation; only a commission can pass a binding order.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- National Consumer Helpline (Department of Consumer Affairs)
- Consumer Protection Acts and Rules (Department of Consumer Affairs)
- Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021, G.S.R. 912(E) (copy hosted by the High Court of Tripura)
- Consumer Protection (Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions) (Amendment) Rules, 2023, G.S.R. 606(E) (Gazette of India)
- e-Jagriti consumer commission portal (Department of Consumer Affairs)
- Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India
