Complaints

Formal Complaint Letter Template

A clear, firm complaint letter for goods, services or poor customer service. Works for retailers, tradespeople, telecoms and financial companies.

When to use this template

Use this template when you want to make a formal written complaint to a company about a product, service or the conduct of their staff. A written complaint creates a paper trail and is often required before escalating to a regulator or ombudsman.

The template

[Your Full Name]
[Your Address Line 1]
[Town / City]
[Postcode]

[Date]

[Recipient Name or 'Customer Services Manager']
[Company Name]
[Company Address Line 1]
[Town / City]
[Postcode]

Dear [Mr/Ms/Sir or Madam],

Re: Formal Complaint - [Brief description, e.g. Order Reference 12345678]

I am writing to formally complain about [describe the problem briefly, e.g. a faulty product purchased on [date] / unsatisfactory service received on [date]].

[Explain what happened in clear, factual terms. Include dates, reference numbers and any relevant detail. Keep each point to one paragraph.]

I have already attempted to resolve this matter by [describe any previous contact, e.g. calling your customer services team on [date], speaking with [name], reference [ref]]. Despite this, the issue has not been resolved to my satisfaction.

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 [or the relevant legislation], I am entitled to [state your entitlement, e.g. a full refund / repair / replacement / compensation].

I am therefore requesting that you [state clearly what you want, e.g. refund the full purchase price of £X / repair or replace the item / provide written confirmation that the service failure will not recur].

Please respond in writing within 14 days of the date of this letter. If I do not receive a satisfactory response, I will consider referring this matter to [the relevant ombudsman / Trading Standards / the Financial Ombudsman Service / Citizens Advice].

Yours [sincerely / faithfully],

[Your Signature]

[Your Full Name]
[Your Contact Telephone Number]
[Your Email Address]

Tips for using this template

1Use 'Yours sincerely' if you addressed the letter to a named person. Use 'Yours faithfully' if you used 'Dear Sir or Madam'.
2Keep the tone firm but professional. Avoid emotional language.
3Include copies of any receipts, order confirmations or previous correspondence. Write 'Enc:' at the bottom and list the documents.
4Keep a copy of the letter and note the date you posted it. Use a tracked postal service for anything legally significant.
5If the company is regulated (banks, insurers, energy suppliers, telecoms), name the relevant ombudsman in your closing paragraph.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to complain in writing before going to an ombudsman?

Yes, for most regulated sectors (banking, insurance, energy, telecoms) you must complain to the company first and allow them time to respond - usually 8 weeks - before an ombudsman will consider your case.

Should I send a complaint letter by email or post?

Post creates a clearer, harder-to-lose paper trail and often gets a faster response from customer service teams, especially for formal or escalated complaints. Many people send both.

Ready to send? Post it without leaving home.

Type or paste your letter into our editor and we will print it on 100gsm paper, fold it, seal it and post it via Royal Mail. From £2.99, same-day dispatch before 1:30 pm.

Write and send this letter