Figures from Complaints Direct put second-hand cars as the most complained about product in 2007, though mobile phone contracts came a close second, and mobile phone handsets managed a notable number four.

Overall, complaints to the government-run service were up 18 per cent on 2006, with more than 800,000 lodged. Almost 42,000 of those were about second-hand cars purchased from independent dealers - franchised dealers only managed 13,000 complaints, putting them at number 10.

Combining the figures on mobile phone handsets and their contracts gives a total of 52,439. While this is still topped by the total complaints about second-hand cars, the mobile-phone business is still a relative newcomer to pissing off customers, and the 49 per cent increase in complaints about mobile contracts shows they're committed to beating the car dealers next year.

Internet service providers also saw huge gains, up 43 per cent from 2006, but topping out at 13,536 they're still a long way off the leaders. ®

The league table in full:

      Complaint Types        Number of      Number of    % increase
                             complaints     complaints
                             2006           2007
1     (EE02) Second hand     35392          41880        + 18%
      cars purchased from
      independent dealers
2     (BM03) Mobile Phones   23338          34679        + 49%
      (service agreements)
3     (AL03) TVs             17337          19744        + 14%
4     (BM02) Mobile Phones   16338          17760        + 9%
      (hardware)
5     (CZ99) Personal Goods  13153          16976        + 29%
      and Services (Other)
6     (AB99) General         15355          15598        + 2%
      building work (other)
7     (EF02) Car repairs and 13686          15253        + 11%
      servicing from
      independent garage
8     (AD05) Upholstered     13549          14024        + 4%
      furniture
9     (FJ01) Internet        9436           13536        + 43%
      Service Providers
10    (EE01) Second hand     11957          13322        + 11%
      cars purchased from
      franchise dealer
      Total Complaints 2007  695463         819815       + 18%

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