The complaints book: when and how to use it
The complaints book must be available in every establishment open to the public and handed over when requested, without any requirement to explain first or to wait for a manager to be present.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- Refusing to hand it over is itself an offence.
- The set has three copies: authority, business and customer.
- The usual reply period is 10 working days.
- An electronic version exists in most regions.
It is the best known consumer instrument and the worst used. Filled in properly it works; filled with adjectives and no facts, it achieves nothing.
Who must hold one
Every business selling goods or providing services to consumers, with a visible notice stating that it exists. It must be handed over the moment it is requested, on the premises, without demanding explanations or waiting for a manager. Nor is it acceptable to redirect the customer to a head office, a website or a telephone number instead of providing the physical form.
| Section | Content | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Business details | name, address, tax number | identifies the respondent |
| Customer details | name and contact method | allows a reply |
| Date and time | exact | fixes the event |
| Facts | objective and specific | this is what is assessed |
| What you are asking for | the remedy sought | guides the resolution |
| Documents | receipt, menu, photographs | evidence |
| Reply period | 10 working days usual | |
| Arbitration | free to the consumer | 3 to 6 months |
How to write the facts
With figures rather than adjectives. Instead of writing that the service was appalling, record that the menu advertised at 14 €, that the bill showed 18,50 € and that the 4,50 € supplement appeared on no visible document. Six or eight lines with figures, times and amounts carry more weight than a page of opinion. The remedy sought should be equally specific: a refund of 4,50 €, for example.
What happens next
The customer keeps one copy, the business another, and the third goes to the consumer authority, unless the electronic route is used, which has the same effect. The business normally has 10 working days to reply. If it does not, or the reply is unsatisfactory, the authority may mediate, propose consumer arbitration or open a penalty file depending on the seriousness.
Consumer arbitration is free to the consumer and its decision binds both parties, with periods usually running 3 to 6 months.
If they refuse to hand it over
The refusal is an offence in itself. Ask for the local police to attend, who will record the fact, and then submit the complaint directly to the consumer authority describing the refusal. That can be done electronically in most regions and does not require having obtained the form on the premises.
Frequently asked
+Must they give me the complaints book?
Yes, on request, without demanding explanations or waiting for a manager.
+What should I write?
Specific facts with dates, times and amounts, and a clear statement of the remedy sought.
+How long do they have to reply?
Usually ten working days from submission of the complaint.
+What if they refuse?
That is an offence in itself. Call the local police and complain directly to the consumer authority.
+Is there an electronic version?
Yes in most regions, with the same effect as the paper form.
Sources
- 1Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)
- 2Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)