Write to a company that owes you (and get a reply)
A refund, a repair, a deposit, a cancelled flight. One prompt writes a short, firm, polite letter with your reference numbers and a deadline.
By Nick
On this page
- Five minutes
- Nothing
- Beginner
Before you start
1. Gather the facts
Dates, amounts, order or booking references, what was promised, what happened, what you have already tried. Two minutes. The letter is only as strong as these.
2. Paste this, filled in
Write a complaint letter for me. Facts:
- Company and what I bought: [ ]
- Reference numbers: [ ]
- What was promised and what actually happened, with dates: [ ]
- What I have already done about it: [ ]
- What I want, specifically: [refund of $x / repair / deposit back]
Keep it under 200 words, polite and firm, in plain English, in the first person. Put the
reference numbers in the first line. Include one sentence naming the relevant consumer
rule for [country], and mark it [CHECK]. End with a clear deadline 14 days from today and
one line on what I will do if I do not hear back. No threats, no sarcasm.3. Check the [CHECK] line, then send
The rights sentence is the one fact it might get wrong; a thirty-second search confirms it. Then send it from an address you can prove, and put the deadline in your calendar.
Broken washing machine, order number, dates, and the prompt above
Re: Order 48213, Halden Appliances, washing machine delivered 3 September
Dear Halden Appliances,
The machine you delivered on 3 September stopped spinning on 20 September. I reported it on 21 September (case 77-102) and was told someone would call. Nobody has.
Under consumer law, goods should work as described. [CHECK]
I would like a full refund of $480 within 14 days, by 28 October. If I do not hear back by then, I will take the complaint further.
Yours sincerely, Priya Nair
Check the [CHECK] line yourself before sending. It is the one fact it might get wrong.
If it feels too soft, ask for “firmer, same length”. If it feels angry, ask for calmer.
