Complaining about a renovation contractor in Ontario: step by step

When a renovator stops answering the phone, homeowners often do not know where to turn. In Ontario, Consumer Protection Ontario handles complaints about home renovation businesses, and its process rewards people who kept their paperwork.

Step 1: contact the contractor

Tell the business about the problem first. If you call, note the date and what was said. The province publishes complaint notices you can send to prompt a response.

Step 2: wait about three weeks

The ministry's complaint notice says that if the business does not respond, you may file a formal complaint after about three weeks.

Step 3: file with Consumer Protection Ontario

File online, or send the printed form and supporting documents by mail to the Consumer Services Operations Division, or by email to consumer@ontario.ca. Include the contract, estimate, invoices, payments, photos and your notes.

Your rights to cite

If an estimate was part of the contract, the final price cannot be more than 10% over it unless you agreed to new work or a new price. Contracts of $50 or more signed in your home carry a 10-day cooling-off period.

Check before you hire

Search the Consumer Beware List and the Better Business Bureau before signing. Contractors may operate under several names, so search the operator's name as well as the business name. A complaint does not recover money by itself; for that, see small claims court.

Prevention Checklist

• Write to the contractor and keep a copy.
• Send the province's complaint notice if helpful.
• After about three weeks with no answer, file with Consumer Protection Ontario.
• Attach contract, estimate, invoices, payments and photos.
• Before hiring, check the Consumer Beware List and the operator's name.

References

1. Government of Ontario. Filing a consumer complaint, Web page, Process; contact first; filing methods. Accessed 2026-11-01.
2. Government of Ontario. Complaint Notice: Consumer Protection Act, Web page, Three-week response. Accessed 2026-11-01.
3. Government of Ontario. Hiring a roofer, Web page, Consumer Beware List; operator names; cooling-off. Accessed 2026-11-01.

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