1. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I DESIRE TO FILE A CONSUMER COMPLAINT AND OBTAIN MEDIATION ASSISTANCE?

You should contact the Consumers' Council by telephone for immediate advice and information and a complaint form can also be sent to you.  You could also print out a complaint form from this web site and send it to this office via fax or via the U.S. Mail. Be sure to include copies of the relevant documentation we need to evaluate the complaint and begin to mediate the dispute. If you are unsure if you should file an actual written complaint, you might send an online inquiry as an option on this web site and we can respond in that manner.

2. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER WAYS THE CONSUMERS' COUNCIL ASSISTS CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS?

The Council provides written or telephone consumer rights information on the following topics and others not listed here.

The Council can provide speakers for Consumer Education Workshops held in the community at senior centers,local schools, on CCTV, etc.

3. WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU HAVE REGARDING CONSUMERS AND THEIR RIGHTS?

The following brochures are available at the Consumers' Council:

4. DOES THE COUNCIL WORK WITH OTHER CITY OF CAMBRIDGE DEPARTMENTS OR LOCAL AGENCIES IN IT'S WORK ON BEHALF OF CONSUMERS?

The Council staff works closely with or actually serves on the following city boards or commissions and community organizations: The Commission for Persons with Disabilities, the Cambridge Council on Aging, MIS Technical User Group, Environmentally Desired Practices Recycling Advisory Board, the community orientated policing Leadership Council, SCES Money Management Advisory Board, Paine Social Services Board of Directors, Cambridge United for Smoking Prevention, and the Cambridge Postal Customer Advisory Board.

The Council is frequently called upon by the City Manager to participate in discussions or research needed to analyse consumer orientated issues or policies involved with such matters as cable TV, electricity de-regulation, and telephone area code concerns.

5. DOES THE COUNCIL NETWORK BEYOND MASSACHUSETTS AND WEIGH IN ON FEDERAL CONSUMER ISSUES?
The Executive Director assists in the development of and advocacy for new consumer protection legislation. He currently serves as chair of the Massachusetts Consumers' Coalition, a network of local, state, and federal agencies focused on consumer protection services and issues. The Coalition is a member of the Consumer Federation of America and Paul Schlaver, Executive Director, in his capacity as chair of the Massachusetts Consumers' Coalition travels to Washington to attend CFA meetings and participate in that organizations legislative efforts.

The Council has been a long standing member of NACAA, the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators and Paul Schlaver, the Executive Director, was recently elected to the NACAA Executive Board. This organization is involved in both federal legislative efforts and partnerships with other consumer agencies or corporate partners in the development of consumer education materials and programs with a national scope to them.