Complaint Letter

Write a firm, effective complaint letter that gets a resolution. Use when asked to write a complaint letter, complain to a company about a product/service, escalate poor service, or demand a refund/replacement. Produces a structured complaint — the facts, the impact, the specific resolution you want, and a deadline — in a firm, professional tone that's hard to ignore and easy to act on.

Complaint Letter Skill

A complaint gets resolved when it's specific, reasonable, and makes the desired action obvious — not when it's angry. This skill writes a letter that lays out the facts, states exactly what you want, and gives a clear deadline, in a firm professional tone that a customer-service team can actually action.

Working from a brief

Given "complain about a flight that was cancelled and they won't refund me", write the full letter anyway — infer the standard facts and a reasonable resolution, and bracket the specifics (dates, order/reference numbers, amounts) to fill in. Never hand back advice instead of the letter.

Required Inputs

Ask for these only if they aren't already provided (else infer and bracket):

• What went wrong — the product/service, what happened, and when (dates, order/reference numbers).
• The impact — how it affected you (cost, time, inconvenience, harm).
• What you've done — prior contact and their response, if any.
• What you want — the specific resolution (refund, replacement, repair, apology) and any deadline.
• Recipient & tone — company/person, and how formal.

Output Format

Complaint Letter

A ready-to-send letter:

• Header — your details, date, recipient, and a clear Re: line with the order/reference number.
• 1. The issue — what you bought/used, when, and exactly what went wrong (facts, dated, specific).
• 2. The impact — the concrete consequence for you.
• 3. Prior attempts — what you've already tried, if anything (shows you've been reasonable).
• 4. What you want — the specific resolution, stated plainly, with a reasonable deadline for response.
• 5. Next step — what you'll do if unresolved (escalate, regulator/ombudsman, review) — stated factually, not as a threat.
• Close — professional sign-off and how to reach you.

Provide a short email version too, and notes on anything to confirm.

Quality Checks

• The facts are specific and dated, with reference/order numbers where relevant
• The requested resolution is concrete and reasonable — not vague dissatisfaction
• A clear, reasonable deadline for response is included
• Tone is firm and professional, not abusive (abuse gives them a reason to dismiss you)
• The escalation path is stated as a fact, not an empty threat
• Both a formal letter and a short email version are provided

Anti-Patterns

• Do not vent without asking for anything — name the specific resolution you want
• Do not be abusive or sarcastic — it lets the recipient dismiss the complaint
• Do not omit reference numbers and dates — they slow or stall the response
• Do not make threats you won't act on — state real next steps factually
• Do not bury the ask — the resolution and deadline must be impossible to miss

Based On

Consumer-advocacy correspondence practice — factual specificity, a concrete remedy, a reasonable deadline, and a stated escalation path.