How to write effective complaint letters |
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| Introduction |
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| Net Lawman has a number of complaints letters that can help you win your battle out of court. Whether you disagree with your neighbour about an overgrown hedge or whether the electricity company have charged you too much, the same principles of letter writing apply. We outline them below. You can find links to the Net Law Man letters at the end of this article. |
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| Even native speakers have problems writing effective complaints letters. The Net Lawman letters provide you a base to start from. You simply add your personal details using our format and explanatory notes where relevant. It is very easy. If you need to check your legal position before you write the letter, complain or ask for your money back, we have a low cost, pre paid legal advice service here. You can get answers to your questions from as little as £20. |
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| Tips for writing a successful complaint letter |
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| Most errors are unintentional. Businesses want satisfied customers as they are more likely to return. Keep this in mind when you write your letter. |
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Be brief
No one likes a whiner |
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| Be honest and straightforward |
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| Include sufficient detail to back up your claim and to show that you have thoroughly researched the subject. Omit irrelevant details. You can show you have researched your subject by quoting the law where relevant. You could use our Expert Legal Advice service to confirm your situation, or simply look up basic legal positions on the Internet. |
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| Maintain a firm but respectful tone, and avoid aggressive, accusing language |
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| Keep your complaint letter concise and professional send photocopies of receipts and other documents but retain all originals. The copies help to back up your argument and show that you mean action. Keep a copy of the complaint letter for your records. |
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| Get other signatures |
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| In many cases, you can increase the effectiveness of your letter by getting several others to sign it with you. This is particularly the case when trying to influence or change legislation, denouncing material from the media, and so on. |
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| Tell them what you want |
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| Do you want your money back, the product to be replaced? The product to be fixed free of charge An apology only Tell them exactly what you expect that way they are more likely to be able to do just that. |
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| Do not threaten legal action unless.. |
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| You are willing to follow through with it. We can help you to work out whether you have a worthy case. If there is no legal standing to your case but you still want recourse, try to be more persuasive. |
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| Who are you addressing? |
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| Try to address someone in particular. Find out their name by phoning the company or looking them up on the Internet. Action is more likely to be taken if you delegate the responsibility to a person or group of people. Remember though – be especially tactful if you keep in contact with these people. Don’t let your complaint destroy your relationship with them if you need their services in the future. |
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| Include your contact information |
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| Include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address, if desired, so that the person(s) can reach you to discuss any questions or concerns. |
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| If a first letter does not bring action, assume a stronger but still respectful tone in the next one. If two or three letters do not resolve the problem, send one to the president or CEO of the company or entity. |
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| Complaint letters |
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