A resident of Pavlodar received over one million tenge back for apartment repairs.

A man arranged for a comprehensive turnkey renovation of his apartment, which included the replacement of all windows and doors. The total cost of the work exceeded one million tenge. However, the contractor not only failed to meet the deadline but also delivered low-quality renovations.

"The consumer turned to the court, where our department participated as a third party. The amount exceeded one million tenge, and it was fully refunded through the court," - reported acting head of the department Nursulu Aubakirova.

Last year, the department received 307 complaints regarding the household services sector. Retail and electronic commerce also ranked among the worst performers.

"We assist in preparing a written complaint, which the consumer presents to the contractor; often, the issue is resolved at the first stage. Sometimes, the problem gets resolved when we conduct a check due to the lack of a response to the complaint within the 10-day period," explained Nursulu Aubakirova.

Sometimes, cases escalate to court. Last year, there were 20 such disputes.

Previously, a resident of the Pavlodar region purchased an air conditioner that did not work even after being recharged with refrigerant. The selling company was mandated to reinstall the device, as the service center identified a defect in the installation.

Additionally, a resident of Pavlodar was pressured into purchasing skincare procedures and cosmetics costing 400,000 tenge at a cosmetic clinic. The department of trade and consumer protection also facilitated the return of the funds by drafting a pre-trial complaint.