How to write a complaint letter:

Keep in mind that most errors are unintentional and realize that most businesses and organizations want to address and clear up complaints quickly in order to have satisfied customers or members. Address your letter to a specific person Letters addressed to "Dear Sir" or "To hom it !ay "oncern" are not as effective and will likely not reach the right person. "all ahead and ask for the name of the manager and his or her administrative assistant. riting to the assistant may ensure your letter reaches the manager. Begin your letter on a positive tone "onsider how you#d react if an angry customer approaches you and shouts obscenities versus someone who smiles who begins the conversion with compliments. Be brief. $eep your complaint letter to one page% and write short paragraphs rather than long ones. Be honest and straightforward. &mit irrelevant details. Maintain a firm but respectful tone, and avoid aggressive, accusing language $eep your complaint letter concise and professional. Send only photocopies of receipts and other documents, and retain all originals $eep a copy of the complaint letter for your records. Get other signatures 'n 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 forth. Do not threaten! Avoid ma ing generali!ations, especially if your complaint letter focuses on a single individual. "se tact, and be direct, but respectful #nclude your contact information 'nclude 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. 'f a first letter does not bring action% assume a stronger but still respectful tone in the ne+t one. 'f two or three letters do not resolve the problem% send one to the president or ",& of the company or entity. 'n each case% be firm but polite.

Some useful language for writing complaint letters

$% Some lin s and phrases&
' am writing to complain about. to say that ' am not happy.satisfied with/ 0ou say.said that/ 'n fact%/ 0ou do not seem to realize that/ !y first.second complaint is that/ The problems do.did not stop there. To my surprise.horror.disappointment%/. 1urthermore%.. ,ven worse% / . ,ven more worrying%/ hen it comes to the question of/ ' must insist that.you/ ' must ask you to / ' hope that in the future/ 'f ' do not get a satisfactory reply% ' will have no alternative but to/ 2lease can you assure me that/.

'(ercises& )% Match the sentence halves in A and B&

-. 'f ' had known% included 3. ' think it is awful that 4. ' would rather have 5. ' really feel you should have entered. 6. ' was very surprised a when ' found out that the installation was not b be more careful what you say in the future. c you charge so much for a single room. d that there was only a big prize% ' would not e spent my money somewhere else.

*% +hich e(pressions would be inappropriate in a formal complaint,

' was so fed up% ' 7ust hung up. ' would 7ust like to point out that/ e were assured that that is the case% but it turns out not to be true. 8ust listen to me. ' was very disappointed. ' would be grateful if you could give me a refund for/ 9et it right from now on. That:s what you say but it:s a lie. 0ou should be less misleading in the future.

-'AD#.G '/'-0#S'
Read the following letter and decide whether it meets the guidelines (page 1) for writing a complaint letter:

Dear Sir/Madam, On March 31, I purchased a 52-inch plasma television from your store !he salesperson, "ames "ones, assured me that professional installation #as included in the sale price and I could e$pect installation #ithin t#o days of delivery %s of %pril &, no installation had ta'en place I contacted your store that day at 11(3) a m and spo'e to *ose "arvis She stated the reason I had not heard from anyone #as +ecause it #as my responsi+ility to call and arran,e for an installation She told me there #as a -2)) installation char,e if personnel from your store installed the unit !his #as not #hat the salesperson, "ames "ones, told me upon purchase I contacted Mr "ones to intercede on my +ehalf .is responded that I had misunderstood him and claimed he never said installation #ould +e free and that only professional installation #as availa+le I purchased this unit #ith free installation confirmed If I had 'no#n there #as an installation char,e, I #ould have purchased my television set from another retail outlet /lease contact me at 000-000-0000 so that #e may resolve this matter 1 2ours faithfully, 3si,nature4 % 5amp+ell 3Mr4 6nc

Sample 0omplaint 1etters

Sample $& faulty product
)use letterheaded paper showing home.business address and phone number* name and address )of customer service department* date Dear Sirs% 2aulty 3name of product% product '#m afraid that the enclosed )+yz* product doesn#t work. 't is the third one '#ve had to return this month )see attached correspondence*. ' bought it from ;<" stores at =ewtown% <ig "ounty on )date*. ' was careful to follow the instructions for use% honestly. &ther than the three '#ve had to return recently% '#ve always found your products to be e+cellent. '#d be grateful if you could send a replacement and refund my postage )state amount*. ' really appreciate your help. 0ours faithfully% )signature* 8 Smith )!s* ,nc.

Sample )& faulty product

name and address )eg.% for the customer services department% or ",&* date Dear Sir or !adam )or name*
heading with relevant reference numbers )&ptional% especially if writing to a named person* ask for the person#s help% eg "'#d really appreciate your help with this." State facts of situation% including dates% names% reference numbers% but keep this very concise and brief )append details% history% photocopies if applicable% for e+ample if the situation is very comple+ and has a long history*. State your suggested solution. 'f the situation and solution is comple+% state also that you#ll be as fle+ible as you can to come to an agreed way forward. )&ptional% and normally worth including* state some positive things about your normal e+perience with the organization concerned% for e+ample> that you#ve no wish to go elsewhere and hope that a solution can be found? compliment any of their people who have given good service? compliment their products and say that normally you are very happy with things. State that you look forward to hearing from them soon and that you appreciate their help. 0ours faithfully )if not sent to a named person* or sincerely )if sent to a named person* 0our signature 0our printed name )and title.position if applicable* c.c. )plus names and organizations% if copying the letter to anyone* enc. )if enclosing something% such as packaging or attachments*

Sample *& 4oor Service

)use letterheaded paper showing home.business address and phone number* name and address )for e+ample to a service manager* date Dear )name* 5utstanding service problem 6 contract ref 3number% ' really need your help with this. 0our engineer )name if appropriate* called for the third time in the past ten days to repair our )machine and model* at the above address% and ' am still without a working machine. @e was unable to carry out the repair once more because the spare part )type.description.ref* was again not compatible. )' attach copies of the service visit reports.* 0our engineers have been e+cellent as always% but without the correct parts they can#t do the 7ob required. "an ' ask that you look into this to ensure that the ne+t service visit% arranged for )date*% resolves the matter. 2lease telephone me to let me know how you#d like to deal with this. hen the matter is resolved '#d be grateful for a suitable refund of some of my service contract costs. ' greatly appreciate your help. 0ours sincerely signature 8 Smith )!s* ,nc.

+-#77'. ASS#G.M'.7& rite a complaint letter about &=L0 - of the following topics> a* 0ou recently bought an e(book reader online% but it:s been 6 weeks since you placed your order and you haven:t received anything yet. rite a formal e(mail.letter to the company complaining about it. b* 0ou recently bought a new DAD player.recorder at a big department store. Bnfortunately% you soon realize that it doesn:t work properly. rite to the seller and try to get a satisfactory solution. c* 0our heating broke down two weeks ago. The technical service came twice to your house to fi+ it% but it still doesn:t work as it should. rite to the company complaining about their poor service and demanding a solution to the problem.
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