Consumer protection in Maldives

Suppliers in Maldives must provide goods and services that are safe, meet applicable standards and are not misleadingly presented. For goods, the seller should transfer ownership free from third-party claims, disclose known defects before purchase and allow reasonable inspection or testing. If goods do not comply and no special agreement changes the remedy, the consumer may return them within a reasonable time and seek a refund or similar replacement. The law does not establish a general cooling-off period for all purchases in the reviewed sources. A service provider should correct a service problem within a reasonable time. A serious fault that cannot be remedied may justify ending the contract and claiming damages. General contract disputes can also fall within civil law, so consumer protection remedies should not be confused with the wider civil-law process. The Act also covers electronic commerce, electronic financial transactions, bus and flight ticket sales, and goods or services contracted electronically. A sectoral regulator may apply its own complaint process. The Communications Authority of Maldives, or CAM, handles complaints involving telecommunications, postal services and information technology. It accepts written complaints against the named respondent, can help formulate a complaint and may investigate. CAM publishes tariff requirements and can be contacted through hotline 1515 or complains@cam.gov.mv. Financial customers should first contact their bank or financial institution when the sectoral procedure requires it. The Maldives Monetary Authority, or MMA, accepts written complaints by form or letter at 1444@mma.gov.mv. A bank customer charter calls for disclosure of terms in Dhivehi or English before an agreement, including fees, interest, liability and recovery procedures. It also describes written complaint procedures, acknowledgement of receipt, escalation when the customer remains dissatisfied and reversal of incorrect fees. The charter is not itself legally binding, and a comprehensive financial consumer-protection framework remains under development under the National Financial Inclusion Strategy 2026–2030. Bank complaint deadlines can depend on the institution’s policy. Travel services are regulated through the Tourism Act 2/99 and its amendments. Travel agents require licences, and resorts, hotels, guesthouses, safari vessels, dive centres, tour guides and travel agencies are registered or regulated. The Ministry of Tourism accepts complaints through its online form or by telephone at 7223131 or 9423131. The Consumer Ombudsman can also be relevant when a travel provider’s goods or services fail to comply with consumer law. For energy, water, sanitation and petroleum complaints, the Utilities Regulatory Authority, or URA, accepts online complaints, email at complaints@ura.gov.mv or secretariat@ura.gov.mv, and telephone complaints at 3332488. A submission should identify the provider, explain what happened and include supporting evidence. Anonymous complaints are possible. The reviewed sources do not publish a general filing deadline or fee for these complaints. The Maldives Food and Drug Authority, or MFDA, regulates food, medicines and medical goods, including safety, registration and inspection. Food and medicine incidents can be reported through the relevant customer complaint or incident form, alternative dispute-resolution process or pharmacovigilance reporting. Complaints about health services follow a separate process through the Ministry of Health or Maaharaa. The Consumer Ombudsman’s Office is the statutory general complaint and investigation body. A consumer can use its online portal, a form or email. Complaints about violations of the Consumer Protection Act should generally be filed within six months of the event. The portal may require identity details and uploaded evidence. The office can investigate, order measures, award compensation and publish decisions under the Consumer Protection Investigation Regulation 2021 (R-162). Its listed office is at Velaanaage, 11th Floor, open from 08:00 to 14:00, with telephone number 3323668. The reviewed sources do not confirm a filing fee or a fixed processing time. Fraud, phishing and payment-card misuse require rapid action in addition to a consumer complaint. Report suspected criminal conduct to the Maldives Police Service or its Cyber Crime Center through the crime-reporting, crime-tip or scam-check channels. Call 911 for an emergency or 3322111 for a non-emergency report. Bank customers should notify their bank immediately about fraudulent transactions and protect their PINs and other security details. Consumers should keep contracts, receipts, product details, screenshots, payment records, delivery records and all communications. A sectoral complaint to the provider or regulator is often the practical first step, while the Ombudsman offers a general process for qualifying statutory violations. Access is available through online, email, paper and telephone channels, and published cases show that foreign complainants can use the system. National offices are concentrated in Malé, so remote channels matter for people on other islands and at resorts.