If you believe your cellular phone service provider has wrongly billed you or if you are being billed for services that you believe do not comply with the agreed-upon terms of your contract, simply refusing to pay is not the best solution. An unpaid account can have negative consequences on your credit rating.
Examples of situations
Here are examples of situations that might lead you to contest amounts billed:
- A service was offered to you free of charge, and was then charged to you without your approval;
- You were charged for more downloaded data than what you actually downloaded;
- You were promised a credit or discount that does not appear on your bill;
- You were billed for services despite having cancelled your service contract;
- You were billed for cancellation fees greater than those permitted by the regulations. Visit the following pages for more information about:
The services you receive must correspond to:
- what you were told by the service provider;
- the information contained in your contract;
- the advertised information;
- the requirements of the law.
Solutions and recourse options
Here is the sequence of steps you can take to contest the amounts you were billed:
- First, try to come to an agreement with the service provider by clearly explaining the problem and proposing what you wish to obtain to resolve the situation. The Negotiating with a merchant page explains how to prepare yourself.
- If the negotiation fails, make your payment before the deadline anyway. This will avoid negative consequences on your credit rating. Furthermore, this does not affect your right to contest.
- File a complaint with the Office de la protection du consommateur by contacting us. The officer who will take your call will take note of all the necessary information in connection with your situation. He or she can also provide you with the necessary tools to assist you in this process, e.g. to draft a formal notice or to file a complaint with the small claims court.
- You can also check whether you can submit your problem to the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS).
Ambiguous contract
If your contract is not clear, it will be interpreted in your favour in the event of any doubt.
Last update : June 10, 2024
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The information contained on this page is presented in simple terms to make it easier to understand. It does not replace the texts of the laws and regulations.
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