National Consumer Helpline — Free Mediation Before You File a Case
The step almost everyone skips. It costs nothing, works against companies that have stopped replying, and takes a fortnight — long before a consumer commission would list your matter.
- Who to contact first
- The National Consumer Helpline, run under the Department of Consumer Affairs — free government mediation against any company.
- How to reach them
- Call 1800-11-4000, or file at consumerhelpline.gov.in. There is no fee and no lawyer.
- How long to wait
- Mediation, not adjudication — there is no statutory clock. Treat a fortnight as a reasonable wait before moving on.
- If they ignore you
- The District Consumer Commission at e-Jagriti, which can pass a binding order. The NCH record strengthens that filing.
Official source · last verified 2 September 2026 — National Consumer Helpline — Department of Consumer Affairs. GetNyay is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for any government department.
NCH cannot order anybody to do anything, and people who expect it to are disappointed. What it does is act as a government intermediary with a company that has stopped answering you, which changes the calculation at the other end. Use it as the fortnight-long step between exhausting the company’s own process and filing at a consumer commission — it costs nothing, and the docket it creates is useful evidence if you do end up filing.
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All contact channels
Every channel below was read on an official page. Contact details change — the source for each is linked in the verification footer at the end of this page.
The escalation ladder, level by level
Work through these in order. Every forum above asks what you did below, and skipping a rung is the commonest reason a complaint is sent back.
- 1Company grievance officerWait Sector-dependent — 48 hours to acknowledge and one month to redress for an e-commerce entity
The company’s own grievance officer.
The order or account number, the dates, and the specific relief. Keep the reference.
- 2National Consumer HelplineWait No statutory period — mediation
The National Consumer Helpline, for free mediation.
1800-11-4000 · consumerhelpline.gov.in
The company reference, the correspondence and the relief sought. NCH takes the matter up with the company on your behalf.
- 3Sector regulatorWait Sector-dependent
The sector regulator, where one exists and can decide.
For banking the RBI Ombudsman; for insurance the Insurance Ombudsman; for securities SEBI SCORES. Telecom is the exception — TRAI does not decide individual complaints.
- 4District Consumer Commission — e-JagritiWait Two years from the cause of action
The District Consumer Commission, for a binding order.
e-jagriti.gov.in
The NCH docket, the company correspondence and proof of the consideration paid.
How the process runs
- 1Exhaust the company’s own grievance process
You need its reference and either its reply or a record that none came. For an e-commerce entity, the Rules give 48 hours to acknowledge and one month to redress.
then: if unresolved - 2Call 1800-11-4000 or file at consumerhelpline.gov.in
Free. NCH takes the matter up with the company. Note the docket number.
then: allow about a fortnight - 3Try the sector regulator if there is one
RBI Ombudsman, Insurance Ombudsman or SEBI SCORES can decide; NCH cannot. Telecom is the exception — TRAI does not handle individual complaints.
then: if you need a binding order - 4District Consumer Commission
e-Jagriti, within two years of the cause of action, no fee up to ₹5 lakh consideration. The NCH docket strengthens the filing.
What this system will not take up
Filing one of these wastes the whole period — it is closed on that ground alone.
- Passing a binding order — NCH mediates, it does not adjudicate.
- Anything pending before a court or commission.
- Disputes between two private individuals rather than a consumer and a business.
- Government service grievances, which go to the relevant department, the state grievance portal or CPGRAMS.
What to have ready before you complain
Assemble these first. A complaint that opens with the identifying numbers gets routed; one that opens with how long this has been going on gets a template reply.
- The order, policy, account or booking number.
- Proof of the consideration paid — invoice, receipt or bank entry.
- The company’s grievance reference and its reply, or your record that none came.
- The correspondence trail in date order.
- Photographs where the goods or service condition is the issue.
- The NCH docket number, once issued.
Timelines at a glance
How long to wait at each stage, and where that period comes from.
| Stage | Window | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| NCH mediation | No statutory period | Mediation rather than adjudication |
| E-commerce grievance redressal | 48 hours to acknowledge; one month to redress | Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 |
| Consumer complaint | Two years from the cause of action | Consumer Protection Act, 2019 |
| Consumer commission filing fee | Nil where the consideration paid is up to ₹5 lakh | Consumer Protection (Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions) Rules, 2020 |
Common complaints handled here
Who runs this, and who is above it
Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
NCH is mediation, not adjudication, and understanding that is what makes it useful rather than disappointing. It cannot order a company to do anything. What it can do is put a government intermediary between you and a company that has stopped replying — which frequently produces a refund in a fortnight that a consumer commission would take months to order.
https://consumerhelpline.gov.in/ →If they ignore you — where to go next
What each forum costs and what it needs before it will take your case.
RBI Ombudsman for banking, Insurance Ombudsman for insurance, SEBI SCORES for securities.
The only forum here that can pass a binding order and award compensation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the National Consumer Helpline number?
1800-11-4000, free, run under the Department of Consumer Affairs. You can also file in writing at consumerhelpline.gov.in, which is the better route when you have documents to attach. Either way you get a docket number, which is what you track with and what you cite if you later file at a consumer commission.
Can the National Consumer Helpline force a company to refund me?
No — it mediates rather than adjudicates, and it cannot order anybody to do anything. That sounds like a weakness and often is not: a government intermediary contacting a company that has been ignoring you changes the calculation at the other end, and it frequently produces in a fortnight what a commission would take months to order.
Should I use NCH or go straight to consumer court?
Use NCH first in most cases, because it costs nothing and takes about a fortnight, and the docket it creates strengthens a later filing. Go straight to a commission where the limitation period is running out, where the sum is large enough to justify the process, or where you need an order rather than a settlement. The two-year limitation runs from the cause of action and does not pause during mediation.
Does NCH cover complaints against banks and insurers?
It will take them, but those sectors have dedicated bodies that can actually decide: the RBI Ombudsman for banking and payments, and the Insurance Ombudsman for insurance. Where a sector ombudsman exists, it is usually the stronger route because it can make an award. NCH is most valuable in sectors that have no ombudsman — retail, e-commerce, travel and services generally.
What should I have ready before calling?
The order, policy or account number; proof of what you paid; the company’s grievance reference and its reply, or a record that none came; and one clearly stated outcome you want. Complaints that ask for a specific thing — a refund of a stated amount, a replacement, a cancellation honoured — are far easier to mediate than complaints that describe dissatisfaction.
Is the National Consumer Helpline really free?
Yes, entirely, and no lawyer or agent is involved at any stage. Anyone offering to file an NCH complaint for you for a fee is selling something you can do yourself in ten minutes. The drafting help here is free too — Word and PDF, no payment and no signup.
Letter and notice formats
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Related escalation guides
Every contact detail on this page was read on an official page — primarily National Consumer Helpline — Department of Consumer Affairs. Government contact details change without notice. If something here is out of date, tell us and we will check it.
What we deliberately left blank (2)
- — NCH working hours and language availability, which were not read on the portal directly.
- — Any published mediation timeline, since NCH is not bound by one.