Complaint letters are written to inform someone in a position of authority, who is providing you a certain service, about any dissatisfaction or inconvenience you are facing. Complaint letters can be written by individuals or businesses. They are written to address a multitude of problems.

A complaint letter may be written to address a grievance, misconduct, transgression, or bitterness against a product or service. They are important as they help you communicate with the people who can resolve the issue.

It may be written against a business that has not delivered the promised goods/products on time or delivered the wrong product altogether. It may be written against individuals who have not provided the service they charged you for.

One such situation when you may have to write a complaint letter is when a service you are being charged for, is not delivered to your satisfaction. On an individual level, this letter would be addressed to the building president.

People living together in an apartment building or residential complex often assign a president from amongst them. This is usually a senior member of the community and his/her job is to collect the service charges from all the residents and pay the gardeners, guards and sweepers hired to take care of the complex.

Any problems or issues related to any of these services, are to be reported to the president, and then they resolve the issues after listening to both the parties.

It is important that the problem is communicated clearly and timely. If there is any evidence that can help prove your point, it should be attached to the letter. The tone of a complaint letter should be firm but polite. Avoid confrontational language and state the facts clearly and with dates and evidence (if any).

The letter should not be very long and should contain strictly relevant information. You should avoid bringing up past bitterness and only raise the current issues bothering you.

The exact contents would differ based on the type of complaint letter you are writing but the general format would be as under:

1. You would address the person you are writing to. Their name, designation, and address or company name (depending on whether it is a personal or business letter) should be clearly mentioned.
2. You would start by greeting the person to whom you are writing the letter. Since you would know the name of the person so you can address them directly like ‘Dear Mr/ Ms. [name]’.
3. You would introduce yourself after that. You can mention your address to identify yourself. After that describe the purpose of writing the letter. It should be stated very clearly and there should be no ambiguity in your language or thought.
4. In the subsequent paragraphs, explain what the issue is and how is it bothering you. Give all details but do not deviate from the main topic. Do not bring up past grievances or problems unrelated to the one at hand. Stay focused and make sure that you communicate all the relevant details and do not leave anything out.
5. After describing the problem fully, mention what you feel would be a just resolution to this issue. Be fair and reasonable in your demands.
6. In the end, you should thank the person for taking out the time to read the letter and express your wish for a speedy resolution of the issue.
7. Mention your name, address, and the date of writing the letter.

The letter should have no grammatical or spelling mistakes as that would reduce its seriousness and impact. A copy of the letter should be kept for future reference.

Sample Letter

I am writing this letter to register my complaint against the sweeper. I am a resident of block 8 for the last ten years and I have always paid the service charges on time. It is only fair that I get the services I am paying for. As you are well aware that the sweeper is paid to pick up the trash, we put it outside the door daily and wash the stairs at least twice a week.

He has always been lazy in washing the stairs but now he has stopped picking up the trash daily, too. He usually comes on alternate days. The trash stays in the passageway all night and if some stray cat ends up entering the building, it spreads the litter all over the place.

I am not quoting an isolated incident. In fact, it is increasingly becoming a norm. This is not just a source of irritation and stress for us but it is also causing us embarrassment in front of our visitors.

The situation is really getting out of hand and I want to request you to look into this issue at the earliest. Please reprimand him for this negligence and address this problem at the earliest.

See also:

• Apology Letter after Resignation
• Apology Letter for Late Submission of Assignment
• Letter of Intent to Run for HOA Board
• Excuse Letter of Absence due to Family Together
• Authorization Letter for Salary Deduction
• Excuse Letter for Being Absent from Work due to Wedding
• Excuse Letter for Being Late to School for Late Wakeup
• Hostile Work Environment Complaint Letter to Boss
• Acknowledgment Letter for Lending Money
• Greeting Email (letter) to New Business Partner