It's no surprise to Summit County's consumer watchdogs that the home improvement field netted the most complaints in 2012.

The Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs says home improvement complaints topped the agency's top 10 list for last year, ahead of such topics as magazines, telemarketers and foreclosure prevention.

Director Cynthia Sich says the agency got 84 complaints last year in the category.

"The contractor that they hired starts the job, but never finishes the job," Sich tells AkronNewsNow.com, "or if he or she does the job, very poor workmanship.  So, that you end up paying for something that wasn't worth what you got to begin with."

Sich says after a complaint comes in, an investigator looks into it.

"We collect all the documents that are available," Sich says, "then, we turn around and contract the supplier and provide him a copy of what you've complained of...you, the consumer".

Sich says that mediation and intervention gets resoluts.

The office says it got nearly 16-thousand dollars of adjustments or refunds for consumers in Summit County last year.

The top 10 consumer complaint categories in 2012 by the Summit County Office of Consumer Affairs:

1. Home Improvements (84, including furnace or a/c replacement, tree trimming)

2. Magazines (33)

3. Telemarketing (21)

4. Foreclosure Prevention, Mortgage Problems (16)

5. Motor Vehicles (11, includes sale new or use vehicles and repairs)

6. Debt Collection, Credit (9)

7. Health Care Products (8)

8. Furniture, Home Furnishing (6)

9. General Services (6)

10. Alarms, Home Security, Locks (3)