MADISON, Wis. — Landlord-tenant issues were the number one complaint received by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in 2023, according to the department’s list of top 10 complaints released Thursday.

What You Need To Know

  • Landlord-tenant issues were the number one complaint received by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in 2023

  • DATCP released their top 10 complaints or 2023 list on Thursday

  • The second highest complaint on the list was telemarketing

  • Home improvement was the third highest complaint received by DATCP in 2023

DATCP said there were 2,208 complaints filed about disputes between landlords and tenants. The organization said 2023 saw a slight increase in these complaints. Some of the more common issues that were reported included security deposit returns, eviction, unauthorized entry, inadequate disclosures and unsatisfactory service.

Michelle Reinen, trade and consumer protection division administrator for DATCP, said many consumers are sensitive to security deposits, particularly related to getting it back in a timely manner.

“We try to open up those lines of communication [between the tenant and landlord] and also look at why that security deposit might be being withheld and make sure it’s within the parameters of the law,” said Reinen.

Not only were complaints high but the number of visits to the landlord-tenant consumer resources page on the DATCP website was notable — totaling more 60,000 visits in 2023.

The second highest complaint on the list was telemarketing, having received 1,276. Officials said this is a slight decrease from 2022. Complaints detailed concerns regarding robocalls, phishing and spoofing, imposter scams and Wisconsin Do No Call Registry issues.

Reinen said telemarketing used to hold the number one complaint spot for several decades before it fell off last year. She said part of that may be due to efforts to combat the issue.

Wisconsin cracked down on telemarketing last year with Operation Stop Scam Calls. The nationwide initiative resulted in a lawsuit against a company that made 157 million calls to Wisconsinites on the National Do No Call Registry, which protects residents from unwanted calls.

Home improvement was the third highest complaint received by DATCP in 2023. DATCP got a little less than 1,000 complaints about this topic. Concerns ranged from failure to provide services and materials to deceptive and misleading representations, poor quality of work, bill disputes and incorrect charges and more.

Other complaints in the top 10 included:

  • Telecommunications    
  • Identity theft                 
  • Medical services            
  • Motor vehicle repair     
  • Travel                                   
  • Motor vehicle sales       
  • Motor vehicle accessories

In total, DATCP respond to more than 10,000 written complaints in 2023.

“We try to bring a resolution to these issues, but they are situations where the consumer alone isn’t able to reach that resolution,” said Reinen.

Reinen said they were able to resolve $3.3 million worth of consumer complaints in 2023.

For more information on consumer protection or to file a complaint, click here.

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