How to Write a Complaint Letter That Gets Read

Most complaint letters fail for a simple reason: the reader cannot tell what happened or what you want. A busy person at a company, a bank or an agency will give a letter a short window of attention, so your job is to make the facts and the request impossible to miss.

Start with the one thing you want

Before you write a word, decide on the outcome. Do you want a refund, a repair, a correction on a record, a cancelled charge or a written explanation? Choose one primary request. A letter that asks for five different things gives the reader five reasons to postpone it.

If you are willing to accept a second-best outcome, you can mention it after the main request, but make clear which is which.

A structure that works

A reliable layout has five short parts.

1. Opening line. State the topic, your account or order number and the purpose of the letter in one or two sentences.
2. What happened. Give a short, dated sequence of events, in order. Stick to facts you can support.
3. What you have already done. List earlier contacts, with dates and the names of people you spoke to if you have them.
4. What you are asking for. State the specific outcome and a reasonable deadline for a reply.
5. Attachments and contact details. Say which copies you are including and how the reader can reach you.

Headings are not necessary, but short paragraphs are. Aim for a page.

Keep the tone calm and specific

Anger is understandable, but a calm letter is more persuasive. Describe what happened without labeling anyone's character. Replace general statements with details. "Your service was terrible" can be replaced with "The technician was scheduled for the morning of Date here and did not arrive, and I was not contacted."

Avoid threats you do not intend to carry out. If you plan to take the next step, such as contacting a regulator or your card issuer, you can say so plainly, as a fact about what you will do if the matter is not resolved by the deadline.

A worked example

This is an invented layout using placeholders only.

Re: Order number here, placed Date here. I am writing to request a refund for an item that was not delivered. I paid on Date here, and delivery was promised by Date here. I contacted your support on Date here and again on Date here and was told it would be resolved, but I have not received the item or a refund. I am requesting a full refund to my original payment method by Date here. I have enclosed copies of my receipt and my earlier messages. You can reach me at the contact details below.

Notice that it is one paragraph, it has dates, and it ends with a clear request and a deadline.

Common mistakes

• Telling the whole life story instead of the relevant facts.
• Omitting the account or order number.
• Mixing several unrelated complaints in one letter.
• Leaving out the deadline, so there is no reason to act now.
• Sending the only copy of your documents.

Try this today

1. Write one sentence stating the exact outcome you want, and one sentence stating the date by which you want it.
2. List the events in order with dates, then cut anything that does not help the reader act.
3. Read the letter aloud, remove any sentence that sounds like an insult, and send it by a method that gives you proof of delivery.

Key takeaways

• Decide on one clear request before writing.
• Use a short, dated, factual structure.
• Stay calm and specific, and never bluff.
• Set a reasonable deadline for a reply.
• Keep a copy and proof of delivery.

This article is general information for consumers in the United States, not legal advice. Laws and deadlines vary by state and by situation, and rules change over time. If a large amount of money or a legal deadline is involved, check the current rules with the relevant agency or speak to a licensed attorney or a free consumer legal aid service.