My phone or internet provider will not solve my complaint: where can I go for free in Portugal?
If your operator does not solve the problem, take it to a consumer arbitration centre (Centro de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo). For communications services this is free, and the operator must accept arbitration when you choose it.
If your provider does not solve your complaint, an independent body can look at it, usually free of charge for you. You normally have to complain to the provider first; how to file in Portugal is below.
📜 The rules in Portugal
The details
- ANACOM's interactive map shows the 9 consumer arbitration centres in mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores, and which one covers your municipality, with their contacts. (anacom-consumidor.pt)
- Go to the centre for the area where you signed the contract, or for your home if you signed at a distance or off-premises. A centre takes about 3 months on average. (anacom-consumidor.pt)
- First complaint: use the complaints book in a shop or online at livroreclamacoes.pt. The operator must reply within 15 working days, and ANACOM always receives the complaint. (anacom-consumidor.pt)
- Julgados de Paz are an alternative: special courts for civil claims up to €15,000, for a fee, taking about 8 months on average. Their decisions also have the value of a court judgment. (anacom-consumidor.pt)
Centros de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo (CACC)
Consumer arbitration centres that settle disputes with your phone or internet operator by mediation, conciliation or arbitration. Free for communications services; the operator must accept arbitration if you choose it.
ANACOM – Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações
Telecom regulator: explains your rights, receives every complaints-book complaint and can sanction operators. It does not settle your individual dispute and refers you to the consumer arbitration centres.
Free dispute resolution
Centros de Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo (CACC) · free
What to do first: Complain to your operator first, in writing or in the complaints book. If it does not solve the problem or you disagree with its answer, go to the arbitration centre for your area.
Time limit: ANACOM states no deadline. Under the consumer ADR law, a centre may set a time limit only for voluntary procedures, and never shorter than one year from your complaint to the operator.
🪜 Step by step
- Complain to the provider firstWrite down what went wrong, what you want and by when. Keep the complaint reference.
- Wait for the answerGive the provider the time the rules allow. Keep all emails, letters and chat logs.
- File with the dispute bodyUse its online form or address, and attach your complaint and the provider’s answer.
- Decide on the outcomeCheck whether the result is binding. If it is not, you can usually still go to court.
📇 Who to contact
❓ Questions
Does it cost anything?
For consumers it is usually free. The details for Portugal are on this page.
Do I need a lawyer?
No. You can file yourself; the procedure is designed for consumers.
Does the provider have to take part?
That depends on the rules in Portugal. Check the dispute body’s own page, linked here.
📎 Sources
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