Letter of complaint how to write

Complaint Letter Format | Samples, How to Write a Complaint Letter?

February 17, 2021 by Prasanna

Complaint Letter Format: A complaint letter is a letter written to concerned authorities if we are not satisfied with the service provided by them. These letters are usually formal in nature. Sometimes when we order a product and it is received defective then we write the letter to the related person or company, complaining about the product. Hence, appropriate action will be taken by the concerned department for the complaint raised.

There could be many reasons for writing complaint letters such as for wrongdoing, grievance, offence, resentment arising out of product or service, etc. It is the right of every citizen of the country to raise the complaint for unfair things happening to them and get a productive result.

Get Other Types of Letter Writing like Formal, Informal and Different Types of Letter Writing Samples.

For example, if the roads in your area have potholes, then we need to write a letter to the relevant department to make it fixed. Else it could be a problem for the people who are residing in such areas to travel. It may also cause pedestrians to fall or road accidents. Therefore, it is necessary to take the desired action against it.

The public service provided by the government is for the benefit of the public. But if the people are unsatisfied by the service provided to them, then they should raise their voice by writing a letter to the government authority of that particular area.

What is the Format of Complaint Letter?

The letter of complaint format is a formal letter written to the concerned authority if you have any problems/ dispute/mistakes/misbehavior or any kind of complaint. The format to write the letter is given below:

Letter of Complaint: Example Letters

Letter of Complaint: Product Damage

Letter of Complaint subject:

You and a friend, Sam, bought some CDs to help you improve your English. You were not happy with the CDs and have decided to write to the publisher, CD World. Read the email from Sam and the advertisement for the CDs below, on which you have made some notes. Then, using the information appropriately, write a letter to CD World explaining why you bought the CDs, why you are dissatisfied and saying what you would like the company to do.

Student’s Letter of Complaint Answer:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to express my disappointment with the course of English language CDs which I purchased from your company a few days ago. I have a good theoretical knowledge of English grammar and I was hoping that your course would help me to improve my conversational fluency and my knowledge of business English, but I feel your product is unsatisfactory and your advertisement is misleading in several respects.

To begin with, your advertisement states that the course provides English conversation for pleasure and business. This naturally leads one to expect that there are commercial English conversations on the CDs, and yet no such conversations are included. In addition, the student is expected to listen and repeat the conversations, but there is not enough time to do this without constantly pressing the “pause” button. Finally, your advertisement gives the impression that the price for the whole course is 20 euros, whereas in fact the CDs cost 20 euros each. The total price is thus 120 euros. I feel this is, to say the least, somewhat misleading.

For these reasons, I am most dissatisfied with your product. I am returning the CDs and expect a full refund. I hope to hear from you soon.

Yours faithfully
(your name)

Letter of Complaint: Hotel

Letter of Complaint subject:

You recently took a self-catering holiday in a luxury apartment, but the standard of the accommodation was very poor. The holiday company that you booked with have offered you some vouchers as compensation, but you have decided you would prefer a cash refund instead. Write a letter to the company outlining the problems you experienced with the accommodation and the action you want them to take.

Student’s Formal Letter Answer:

Dear Sir or Madam

I am writing to complain about the bad standard of accommodation during my last holiday. I booked this self-catering holiday last year in your travel agency. When I returned from my two-week travel last week, I immediately visited the agency to complain about my bad experiences.

Had I known that the accomodation would be so poor, I would have booked from the beginning a full-service holiday. What I expected was a luxury apartment with a small oven. Not only was the room dirty and full of bugs, but the shower was broken and unusable. To make matters even worse, there was no oven as I ordered it. Never before have I seen such a bad service at a self-catering holiday. You can imagine my anger when I had to eat out, smelling like a … Not surprisingly, I booked another room, though without oven but clean and with a working shower. Therefore this room cost a lot more than the other one and I had to go out eating.

My purpose in visiting the agency was to ask for compensation. The young lady who served me offered some vouchers as compensation. She advised me to take my time with the answer. I have decided to ask your company for a cash refund. Would a refund about 500 euros be too much to expect? I would like to ask you to have a look on my enclosed accounts. Seeing how much money I had to invest additionally will help you to decide what to do about the whole matter.

At the very least, I would like you to inform me of the action you will take with regard to my extra invested money. Unless adequate action is taken, I shall have no other option but to publish this letter in the local newspaper.

Yours faithfully,
Ilona

Letter of Complaint: Holidays

Letter of Complaint subject:

You recently had a short holiday organized by TravelWise. The manager of the company sent you a letter asking to state the problems which had occurred during your vacation. Write a letter to the manager, explaining what the problems were and telling them what you want them to do.

Write your letter. Don’t include any postal addresses.

Student’s Formal Letter Answer:

I am writing with reference to your letter, where you politely requested a feedback of my recent vacation organized by TravelWise. As you already know I was displeased with numerous points.

Firstly, the hotel I stayed was located in a run-down and dangerous neighbourhood, on few occasions I was approached by a drug dealer and a beggar. When it comes to the room it was completely different from what had been presented in your brochure. Dirt, darkness and rats were my company throughout the stay, I actually changed rooms few times, however it seemed all the rooms were in similar condition.

One of the reasons I had chosen your company was the free of charge spa and trips organized by your staff. It turned out that I had to pay extra for all of these services. And although it might be true that the water sports provided were amazing it does not change the fact my holiday was ruined by the above problems.

I must ask you to refund all the costs of my vacation including extra charge for spa and trips please.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,
Sam Smith

Letter of Complaint: Writing Topics

Letter of Complaint Topic: Hotel

You recently stayed at one of a chain of large hotels and encountered a number of problems during your stay. Write a letter to the company’s head office detailing the problems you had, describing what happened when you complained to the hotel staff and suggesting ways the company could improve its service.

(CAE 220-260 words – CPE 280-320 words)

Letter of Complaint Topic: Product

You and a friend, Sam, bought some CDs to help you improve your English. You were not happy with the CDs and have decided to write to the publisher, CD World. Read the email from Sam and the advertisement for the CDs below, on which you have made some notes. Then, using the information appropriately, write a letter to CD World explaining why you bought the CDs, why you are dissatisfied and saying what you would like the company to do.

(CAE 220-260 words – CPE 280-320 words)

Letter of Complaint Topic: Transport

You recently travelled to work by train, and were appalled because the train was dirty and the canteen facilities were poor. Due to work on the tracks, your train failed to arrive at its destination on time, which made you late for work. You have decided to write a letter of complaint to the railway company, expressing your views and stating what you expect them to do about the problem.

(CAE 220-260 words – CPE 280-320 words)

CAE, FCE, CPE

More than Practice Tests

Letter of Complaint: Tips

Also:

Letter of Complaint: Useful Phrases & Language

Opening

Dear Sir or Madam, / To whom it may concern,
I am writing to express my disappointment with/dissatisfaction with the service I received in…
I would like to lodge a formal complaint against your company for the reasons outlined below:
I feel compelled to write to you in order to describe the

Listing Problems

First of all,
Not only was there a hair in my wife’s soup, but the main course also arrived cold.
On top of that…
As if that was not enough…
To top it all off…
My first complaint is
The first problem is
The first thing I would like to draw your attention to is
My first concern is
The straw that broke the camel’s back was…

Complaining Expressions

The standard of the… was not up to scratch.
The… was not up to the expected standard.
The… left a lot to be desired.
The… failed to live up to our expectations.
We were left bitterly disappointed by…
The quality of the customer service we received was woefully inadequate.
The… was an absolute disgrace. (v.strong)
Overall, our visit to your (restaurant) was an unmitigated disaster from start to finish.

Requesting Action

It seems only fair that you should… (offer a full refund)
I would appreciate it if you…
I would be grateful if you…
I suggest that you replace the item
I therefore suggest that I be given a full refund
I would be grateful if my money was refunded
I would be grateful if you could give me a full refund
Should these demands not be met, you will be hearing from my lawyers.
I expect to receive compensation to the tune of (€2000) for the…

Making Recommendations

I strongly recommend that your organisation…
It would be advisable to…
I suggest re-evaluating your procedures regarding…

Sign off

I look forward to receiving your reply.
I look forward to hearing from you
I look forward to receiving a full refund
I look forward to receiving a replacement
I look forward to receiving your explanation
I expect to receive a prompt reply to this letter.
Yours faithfully,

CAE, FCE, CPE

More than Practice Tests

Writing paper will require a response which is consistently appropriate for.

Informal letters are sent to people you know well (for example.

How to write a Letter of Application? (FCE, CAE, CPE)

Letter of application is always formal in style unless the question.

Writing paper will require a response which is consistently appropriate for.

How to write a formal Letter / Email? | C2 Proficient (CPE)

Letters in the C2 Proficiency Writing paper will require a response.

His, hers, their or one’s – usage & examples

HIS, HERS, THEIR OR ONE’S? In English, there are no apparent.

Choose the word or phrase which best completes the sentence.

C2 Proficient (CPE)
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Letter of complaint how to write

So you’ve been offended at work or by a bad product/services, part of you wants to blow hot, really hot, but what will that accomplish? Rather than raise dust which will eventually settle, how about you file a letter of complaint about it for a productive outcome.

This type of letter written to address any type of wrong-doing, offense, grievance, resentment arising out of a product, service, etc. It is used to raise your concern about unfair things and seek redress.

If you’re unfamiliar with how a complaint letter should look, visit formplus and take a look at any complaint letter sample that suits your purpose. Each type of complaint has its own complaint letter format.

Tips for Writing an Effective Complaint Letter

Manners really matter. Your recipients are more likely to give attention to cordial letters. On the other hand, letters containing threats and ALL UPPERCASE are responded to with the bare minimum. Or not at all.

If your Letter contains any kind of profanity, it is likely to be ignored, and some that may be considered threatening are handed over to law enforcement. The most effective e-mails and letters are very short averaging about 500 words tops. They include all the details necessary to track your problem.

Your request should be in the form of a question. The question should tow the lines of “How do you fix this?”. State exactly what you want to be done and how long you’re willing to wait for a response. Another key phrase format is “I wish to complain in the strongest terms about”. The question should be clear and easy to understand. It also helps if it’s genuine and void of sarcasm.

You should indicate your reasons for writing the letter. Highlight the facts which include the time, date and where you purchased or received the services. The reader should be able to get the point on reading the first few sentences hence it is important not to beat about the bush. Explain yourself well and be detailed to capture the reader’s attention.

While writing your letter, it is important that you remain courteous at all times. No matter how justified your complaint may be, do not allow your letter to become angry, sarcastic, or threatening. Bear in mind that the person that reads your letter will often not be the person responsible for the problem.

The best chance your complaint gets a fair shake is if you can convince the company that it didn’t follow its own rules or broke the law. If your complaint letter fails to bring about the results that you hoped for, consider writing another letter with a firmer tone, or try writing to someone higher up in the chain of command.

Types of Complaint Letter

This is a letter that you use to communicate your concerns and voice your issues to the authorities. A formal complaint is backed by a legal document that sets out the facts and legal reasons that you believe are sufficient to support your claims against a party that entitles you to a remedy for the damages caused.

A formal letter of complaint is one of the best ways to complain about something such as a product or service so that necessary action is taken on it

This kind of letter is written by a consumer to a manufacturer or retailer regarding a problem with a product or service. The aggrieved customer writes a product consumer complaint letter to the concerned authority in an organization to inform them about the poor performance of a product or to complain about the delivery of the defective/damaged goods.

In drafting such a letter, it is advisable to make it brief and to the point and state exactly what you want to be done about the problem and how long you are committed to waiting to get it resolved.

You could follow these easy steps:

For starters, the Employee complaint letter can be written by two people: the employer and the employee. As an employee, if you want to make a formal complaint about something which has happened at work, you should raise a grievance.

A few tips you could use when drafting an Employee complaint letter include:

How to Write a Complaint Letter (Etiquette & Sample)

Step 1: Start off with a greeting

Step 2: Explain what you’re complaining about

Give details about the reason for your complaint. You want to be as straightforward as possible in this step because not everyone has time to go through the details of a super long letter. So start with something like; I’m writing to complain about the poorly packaged delivery I got from your logistics chain on the 18th of October 202X

Step 3: If you’ve taken any prior steps, here’s the time to share that

You may have visited the store, called, or sent a prior email before writing this complaint letter. After explaining the reason for your complaint, succinctly explain what steps you took in rectifying the situation and how it still didn’t resolve your issues with the product/service. As you follow up on a conversation, be sure to say who you spoke with and confirm the details of your discussion.

Step 4: Attach copies of relevant supporting documents

Attach copies of the necessary and relevant documents. This may include receipts, warranties, cheques, pictures, videos if there are any. This is important as it makes your complaint legit. Ensure to include in your letter the exact documents you are attaching. Just ensure that you only send a copy of the files so it doesn’t get lost and that you still have the originals for further reference.

Step 5: How and when do you want this issue resolved?

If you can convince the company that it didn’t follow its own rules or broke the law, your complaint has a better chance of getting looked into. Express what action you want to be taken in relation to the complaint that you have made. Would you prefer to receive a discount, a refund, a repair or a replacement? It is important to state the time in which you want your issue resolved. This will help your issue be solved in the soonest time possible. The period you are providing should be realistic to avoid an unreasonable clash between you and the company.

Step 6: Sign off with your name and contact information

Included in the complaint letter should be your contact information to enable those receiving your complaints to reach out to you towards resolving the issue. Also, do well to conclude your letter in a respectful manner. Like your typical formal letter, finish your letter by closing with yours faithfully.

5 Complaint Letter Sample for Everyday Use

 Complaint Letter Sample for Poor Service

To write a complaint against poor service, you should start by contacting the company against which you have a complaint. Mail the manager to report bad customer service you have received from an employee. If you are dealing with a large company and the direct mail of the manager is not available immediately, you can always mail the HR.

The Manager (Job designation…)

Sub: Complaint Letter for Poor Services

I regret to state that I’ve had a gym membership card for about five years now (More/less) but unfortunately I found great trouble with the new instructor the day before yesterday (Date: dd/mm/yy). I usually have private paid sessions with the instructor from 7 am to 8 am. For whatever reason, he was having a session with another group during my time (Write your actual problem and situation)

Sir, I wasn’t able to have my session and had to go home to meet other pressing engagements. The new instructor didn’t even offer as much as an apology for his conduct.

I believe it is in your best interest to please take strict action regarding the above-mentioned matter.

Contact no. and signature…

Complaint Letter Sample for Bad Product

Say you have used a product and you suspect it did you a disservice and/or the product was damaged or bad, and you seek redress. To help move the issue along, and resolve it in good faith, one often must compose a complaint letter. Here’s a sample to get your grievances sorted in record time.

Maryland, CA 34555

Maryland, CA 34555

Re: Purchase of spoiled goods

Dear Miss Hilson:

This letter is to bring to your notice concerning the purchase of spoiled goods on October 5, 2019.

At the point of purchase, I was assured the goods would be fresh upon arrival. Instead, they were delivered spoiled. I have attached a photo as well as the delivery receipt.

I would love for you to look into this matter, and either refund my purchase or send out another supply.

Thank you for attending to the above matter. Do feel free to contact me at any time: 555-6868; peterburke@hotmail.com.

Enclosures: Photo and receipt

Complaint Letter Sample for Harassment

No one is required to tolerate harassment in the workplace and if it happens, a complaint letter to a supervisor or human resources person will be in order. A reminder that a harassment complaint letter is only written by an individual who is harassed due to a circumstance, incident, or unacceptable behavior from another individual. This sample provides the bare minimum as you seek justice.

Address of Victim

Phone Number of Victim

Name of Recipient

Designation of Recipient

Name of Organization

Address of Organization

Dear Name of Recipient:

I write this letter to inform you about the inappropriate groping and sexual advances I’ve suffered at the hands of the Name of the Harasser. I hold the position of POSITION in the company and have been employed for five years, and my work ethic has never been called into question.

The harassment began on DATE when I was first transferred to this department and he said he was attracted to me. It has continued almost every day since.

On DATE he sent me an email that said I should meet up with him after work.

On DATE he sent a voicemail that said he would love to make sweet love to me in the bathroom stall.

I reported to my immediate supervisor about the situation after the second incident but the Name of Harasser has not stopped. While most of the advances have been verbal, I have the recordings of two voicemails and one email from the Name of the Harasser. I also have two witnesses, Name of Witness one and Name of Witness two, who have witnessed the harassment.

I want to bring to your notice that I am undergoing emotional trauma and embarrassment at work. The harassment is affecting my relationship with my Husband and is affecting my performance at work.

I implore that you please take up the matter and take any necessary action.

Signature of Victim

Employee Complaint Letter Sample to HR

Rotten behavior among employees can cause irreparable damage to a company in the long run. The best way to stop such dirty behavior that would otherwise rotten a company is to write an HR complaint letter. Is your boss threatening your job if you don’t “see things his way?” Is a coworker sabotaging you or worse? Write to HR. Here’s a sample to set you on your way.

My name is [name] and I have been working as [a secretary] for the past [3 years]. I am proud and happy to do my bit by offering assistance to my senior colleague. Sadly, this wonderful experience is being ruined because of a single employee: [employee name].

I’ve explored all other options prior to writing this letter and I find myself forced to resort to the human resources department for a resolution.

His/Her] continuous misbehavior and lack of conduct are just too much to cope with. It’s affecting my performance and hindering me from doing my work. [Give examples here. What, when, and where it happened? Support your case with numbers, dates and facts.]

I ask for your immediate intervention to find a solution to this problem and to establish a professional, friendly, and productive environment for all of us.

Thank you very much for your understanding.

Complaint Letter Sample to Management

It is frustrating when your manager seems to have a “thing” on you that you can’t explain. When writing a letter complaining about said manager’s behavior, you need to ensure that you have your name, address, the name of the manager and the account of events laid out. Especially since you addressing it to the upper echelon of the organization. This sample covers all the areas required.

Sub: Complaint Letter against Manager

I hope this letter meets you well. Sir, I work in your company in the research department (Department name) for the past 2/4/6 (More/less) years. The subject of my letter is actually a complaint about our department manager. (Describe your problems and situation).

I write on behalf of the entire department. We face a number of challenges as his behavior to us is very rude and uncouth. We can’t concentrate on doing our work with his presence. He treats us like slaves in his opinion are worthless. Kindly just change our manager or at least give him a stern warning. The staff of the department will be very grateful if this is done.

4 Online Complaint Form Template to Use

This workplace harassment form template can be used by an organization to allow employees and customers to report sexual, bullying, and disrespectful incidents in the workplace. It can easily be embedded in the company handbook or website. This employee harassment form template is great for HR personnel, employers, and company managers. It is important because Workplace harassment, whether it happens in person or online, is an issue impacting businesses.

The online complaint form template is used to receive customer complaints or employee feedback about your business or services. You can customize the ready-made form to suit your brand and embed the link on your website, social media pages or simply let customers scan QR code to give you the needed feedback. You can use this complaint form in any type of business.

With the Customer Satisfaction Survey Template, you can measure customer satisfaction when you find out what they really think about your product or service. Understanding how your customers feel about your products helps you know what areas you’re are doing well as well as those you need to improve on. You can customize this customer satisfaction template or create your own with our intuitive drag and drop online form builder.

The Hotel Feedback Form Template helps you to improve the standards of your hotel or guest houses by allowing customers to provide feedback about your hotel service. You can embed this hotel feedback form on your hotel booking site or send it to your customers’ email after they check out. With it, guests share freely their opinions, reviews & experience.

Conclusion

Complaint Letters are used to raise your concerns about unfair things and seek a productive outcome. While writing one, remember to use the correct tone to write a complaint letter and avoid being emotional in your letter.

In business, the purpose of a complaint letter in business is to get rectification and replacement and not finding fault. The recipient of a complaint letter should be willing to attend to genuine complaints with an open mind. The best bet for the recipient is not to react immediately either orally or in writing, but to actually make an inquest. 

Как писать письмо-жалобу и письмо-извинение на английском языке

Составление формальных писем — задача непростая, особенно когда приходится писать их на английском языке. Но есть способ сделать это быстро и просто — использовать готовые шаблоны фраз. В этой статье мы расскажем, как писать письмо-жалобу и письмо-извинение на английском языке и какие фразы для этого использовать. Мы также приложим образцы этих писем на английском, чтобы по ним вы смогли написать свое письмо.

Кстати, мы уже рассказывали о том, как писать другие виды формальных писем в статье «Как писать письмо-просьбу и письмо-заявление на английском языке». Советуем ознакомиться и с этой статьей. А еще не забудьте почитать наше руководство о том, как писать email на английском языке.

Письмо-жалоба на английском языке. Letter of complaint

Как следует из названия, письмо-жалобу на английском языке мы пишем, когда чем-то недовольны. Например, мы хотим обратить внимание руководства на некачественное обслуживание, некорректное поведение сотрудника или жалуемся на некачественный товар.

По сравнению с другими видами писем letter of complaint — самое эмоциональное письмо. Чаще всего оно окрашено негативными эмоциями: недовольством, раздражением, злостью. Тем не менее не следует во всех красках и ярких эпитетах описывать свое недовольство и уж точно не следует опускаться до грубостей и оскорблений. Letter of complaint относится к формальному виду писем, поэтому и тон должен сохраняться официальный. Согласитесь, вряд ли найдется человек, который захочет читать письмо, полное личных оскорблений, и после этого решать возникшую проблему.

Если цель вашей жалобы — обратить внимание на некоторые недостатки, то лучше сохранять нейтральный тон повествования. В случае же серьезных претензий следует придерживаться настойчивого, иногда даже требовательного тона. Давайте посмотрим, какие фразы мы будем использовать в таких письмах.

Если в приветственной части вы обращались к человеку по имени, например, Dear Mr. Smith, следует использовать фразу Yours sincerely. Если ваше письмо начиналось со слов Dear Sir/Madam, необходимо закончить его словами Yours faithfully.

Образец письма-жалобы на английском языке:

Письмо-извинение на английском языке. Letter of apology

Letter of apology (письмо-извинение) на английском языке мы пишем, когда в чем-то провинились. Причин для извинения может быть великое множество, начиная от опоздания на обед с другом и заканчивая задержками поставок для крупной компании.

Извинительные письма бывают двух видов: формальные и неформальные. Между ними есть существенная разница. Формальные письма мы пишем для извинения перед официальными организациями и учреждениями. В них необходимо придерживаться строгих правил: использовать деловой язык, вежливые обращения, полные формы слов. Неформальные письма могут содержать разговорные выражения, сокращенные формы слов и т. д., ведь такие письма адресованы друзьям и знакомым. Давайте посмотрим, какие фразы используются в таком письме.

Образец формального письма-извинения на английском языке:

How to Start a Complaint Letter

This article was co-authored by Tami Claytor. Tami Claytor is an Etiquette Coach, Image Consultant, and the Owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting in New York, New York. With over 20 years of experience, Tami specializes in teaching etiquette classes to individuals, students, companies, and community organizations. Tami has spent decades studying cultures through her extensive travels across five continents and has created cultural diversity workshops to promote social justice and cross-cultural awareness. She holds a BA in Economics with a concentration in International Relations from Clark University. Tami studied at the Ophelia DeVore School of Charm and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her Image Consultant Certification.

There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

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Handling a problem with a product or service you purchased can be frustrating. If phone calls and emails haven’t gotten you anywhere, the next step is to send a complaint letter. Begin by gathering the key information that you’ll need to include in the letter. Sending a formal letter adds credibility, so properly format the sender and recipient addresses, date, salutation, and subject line. Get straight to the point in the body, and build your case with specific facts instead of using foul or threatening language. [1] X Trustworthy Source Federal Trade Commission Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson Go to source