How to Write a Powerful Complaint Letter

Writing formal letters is not an easy task, especially when you have to write them as fast as possible. But there is a way to do this quickly and effortlessly - use ready-made phrase templates. In this article we will tell you how to write a complaint letter and what phrases to use for this. We will also attach a sample of these letters so that you can write your letter with its help, or, if you want the job to be done by the professionals for you to save your time a get a high quality piece - feel free to order it now!

As the name implies, we write a complaint letter when we are unhappy with something. For example, we want to draw the attention of management to poor-quality service, incorrect behavior of employees or to complain about poor-quality goods.

Compared to other types of letters, complaint is the most emotional one. Most often it is painted with negative emotions: discontent, irritation, anger. Nevertheless, one should not describe his dissatisfaction with all colors and bright epithets and, of course, one should not stoop to rudeness and insults. A complaint letter refers to the formal form of letters, so the tone should be official. Agree, there is hardly a person who wants to read a letter full of personal insults, to be addressed in a rude manner, and then solve the problem.

If the purpose of your complaint is to draw attention to some flaws, it is best to maintain a neutral tone of narration. In case of serious complaints, a persistent, sometimes even demanding, tone should be followed.

Basic parts of a complaint letter and phrases to use:

1. Before proceeding to the body of the letter, we must greet a person (to address to one). Use the following phrases to do this: Dear Mrs./Ms., Dear Sir/Madam etc.
2. The first paragraph of the letter should indicate the essence of your complaint: what happened, when and where. To do this, you may need the following expressions: I am writing to draw your attention to…, I am writing on the subject of…, I am writing to complain about… etc.
3. In the main part, you report in a more detailed manner about the reasons for your indignation. At the same time, you must substantiate your opinion, for example, why do you think that your purchase does not match the quality, what was expressed by the seller’s incorrect behavior, etc.
4. In conclusion of your complaint, you need to explain how you would like to resolve the situation. For example: to propose measures that can be taken in relation to an unscrupulous employee, to ask to replace low-quality goods or to reimburse its value, or, perhaps, it is important for you to just hear an apology. Most used words and phrases in this part: I trust the matter will be resolved, I hope the situation will improve etc.
5. At the end of the letter, don't forget to say goodbye. Use here the standard: Yours sincerely / faithfully.

Below are some tips for putting your letter together:

• make it clear who the complaint is about – use the full name of the person who you write about and who you address to, and make sure you insert their college (company) position and (if known) date of birth, so they can be easily identified;
• try to keep your letter concise and to the point – sometimes issues can get lost in a long account which describes what happened in great detail;
• if your complaint spans many months or needs a lot of detail, perhaps use a timeline, or diary of events to structure your letter, and list your questions and issues separately; 
• be factual and avoid aggressive language or comments which could be classed as offensive;
• try to avoid repeating yourself - make your point and then move on to the next issue of the whole complaint;
• you could group issues together by theme to organize your letter – eg. classes, cleanliness, home tasks, etc.;
• ask definite questions and for the organization/college to investigate specific issues or episodes.

Do not be afraid to say what has upset you, and explain what you would like to achieve as a result of your complaint. You can then use this as an opportunity to make suggestions for how they can improve services, request to make changes to organizational policies and processes as well as explanations or an apology.

You could also include a contact number in the letter, so the official body can easily contact you if there is something that requires explanation or they wish to discuss your letter at all. It might also be an idea to detail in the letter if you would like to have a meeting to discuss your complaint before receiving a written response. 

Before you send it:

Read the letter again to make sure that everything you want to say in your complaint is included. Make sure you address to the right person. Make sure you sign it at the end of the letter, otherwise this may cause a delay in the organization starting their investigation. Keep a copy for you to refer to later – this will be useful for you to compare your response to. It might also help to keep a copy of all letters sent and received, in date order. You could use the log included in this guide to help with this. You may wish to send your letter by recorded delivery, so you can be sure that this has been received. You may wish as well to get your complaint letter done by the top pro writers! In this case - don't hesitate to make your order right away!

A FREE Sample

Kate Smith [Building, Street], [City], [State] Tel: (123) 456-7890 The Complaints Manager [Building, Street], [City], [State] [Date] Dear Sir or Madam I have recently ordered a new football protection set (item #87654321) from your website on June 12. I received the order on June 16. Unfortunately, when I opened it I saw that the set was used. The parts were dirty and there was a small tear in front of the knee pad. My order number is MD121212. To resolve the problem, I would like a credit to my account for the amount charged for my set, I have already purchased a new protection set at my local sporting goods store so there is no need to replace the defective set. I trust the matter will get your immediate attention and will be resolved. If you need to contact me, you can reach me at (123) 456-7890.  Yours sincerely [Signature] Mrs K Smith Student, [Name of College]