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