# Local Services Ads lead disputes: how to get credit for bad leads

By Banish Angural · Published September 13, 2026 · Updated November 9, 2026

> With Local Services Ads you pay per lead, but you can ask Google for credit on leads that don’t fit, such as wrong job types, areas you don’t serve, spam or solicitations. Mark the lead in your Local Services Ads inbox and choose the reason soon after the lead arrives. Tightening job types and areas prevents most bad leads.

## Leads that usually qualify for credit

- Job types you didn’t select.
- Locations outside your service area.
- Spam, sales calls and solicitations.
- Wrong numbers and repeat leads, depending on current policy.

## Leads that usually don’t

- Customers who chose someone else.
- Price shoppers in your area for a service you offer.
- Calls you missed.

## How to dispute

1. Open the lead in your Local Services Ads inbox or app.
2. Choose the option to dispute or ask for credit.
3. Pick the reason and add a short note.
4. Do it promptly; there is a time window.

## Prevent bad leads in the first place

- Untick job types you don’t want.
- Trim service areas to where you’ll actually go.
- Answer every call: missed calls hurt ranking and can’t be credited.
- Mark leads booked or not, which helps your reporting.

## Paying for leads you never wanted?

We manage [Local Services Ads](https://banishmedia.com/services/local-services-ads) for Edmonton trades and dispute every eligible lead. A [free audit](https://banishmedia.com/free-audit) shows what your LSA leads are really costing.

## Sources

- [Local Services Ads Help Center](https://support.google.com/localservices/), Google
- [Getting started with Local Services Ads](https://support.google.com/localservices/answer/6224841), Google

## Questions readers ask

### Can I get a refund for a bad Local Services Ads lead?

You can request credit for eligible leads, such as wrong job types, out-of-area leads or spam, through the Local Services Ads inbox within the allowed time.