Complaint letter that is firm, clear and gets a response
An angry email is easy to ignore. A calm complaint letter with dates, facts and a clear request is not. This prompt has your todo.is agent find the company's complaints contact, lay out what happened in order, list your evidence and ask for a specific remedy by a deadline, ready to send by email or post.
The prompt
- Write a complaint letter to [COMPANY NAME] about [WHAT WENT WRONG]. Key facts: [DATES, ORDER OR ACCOUNT NUMBER, WHO YOU SPOKE TO]. What I want: [REFUND, REPAIR, REPLACEMENT OR APOLOGY]. Evidence I have: [RECEIPTS, PHOTOS, EMAILS] (attached). Find the company's official complaints email or address on their website and show me the link. Keep the letter under 350 words, calm and factual, in date order, and give them [DAYS TO RESPOND] days to reply. Say what I will do next if they do not, such as going to the relevant ombudsman or consumer body, without threats. Give me the letter as a PDF and as email text, and save it as a Gmail draft if my Google account is connected.
What to change
- [COMPANY NAME]: The company or organization, e.g. "Brightwave Broadband".
- [WHAT WENT WRONG]: One line, e.g. "internet down for 19 days and three missed engineer visits".
- [DATES, ORDER OR ACCOUNT NUMBER, WHO YOU SPOKE TO]: E.g. "account BW-48213, outage from 2 Sept, called 4 Sept and 9 Sept, spoke to 'Sam'".
- [REFUND, REPAIR, REPLACEMENT OR APOLOGY]: Be specific, e.g. "refund of September's bill and compensation for the outage".
- [RECEIPTS, PHOTOS, EMAILS]: List them and attach the files. Your agent mentions them in the letter.
- [DAYS TO RESPOND]: Usually 14 days. Some sectors have their own timelines.
Example result
- Complaint letter
- Jordan Ellis
- 22 Elm Road, Leeds LS6 2AB
- Account number: BW-48213
- 1 October 2026
- Complaints Team
- Brightwave Broadband
- Subject: Formal complaint, 19-day loss of service, account BW-48213
- Dear Complaints Team,
- I am writing to make a formal complaint about the loss of my broadband service and the handling of the fault.
- What happened
- • 2 September: my internet stopped working completely.
- • 4 September: I reported the fault by phone and was given an engineer visit for 6 September. No engineer came.
- • 9 September: I called again and spoke to Sam, who booked a visit for 12 September. Again, no one came and I was not told.
- • 20 September: an engineer finally attended and fixed a fault at the street cabinet. Service returned that day.
- I work from home and had to pay for mobile data and a co-working desk during this time. I have attached my bills, call log screenshots and receipts.
- What I am asking for
- • A full refund of my September bill
- • Compensation for the 19 days without service and the two missed appointments
- • A written explanation of why I was not told the visits were cancelled
- Please reply within 14 days of this letter. If we cannot resolve this, I will take my complaint to the relevant ombudsman service.
- I have been a customer for six years and would like to settle this fairly.
- Yours faithfully,
- Jordan Ellis
- Tips that make complaints work
- • Stick to facts and dates, not feelings
- • Ask for one clear remedy
- • Keep copies of everything you send and receive
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill each [bracket] with your facts and what you want.
- Paste it on the Today screen in todo.is and attach receipts, photos or screenshots.
- Your agent finds the right contact, writes the letter and gives you a PDF and email text.
- Check the facts, then send it yourself, or approve the Gmail draft and your agent sends it.
Tips for a better result
- Send it to the official complaints channel, not general support chat. Many formal complaint processes only start when you use it.
- Ask for something specific and reasonable. "Refund of the September bill" gets a faster answer than "make this right".
- Set a reminder: ask your agent "check my Gmail in 14 days for a reply from Brightwave and tell me on WhatsApp".
- Keep the tone polite even if you are furious. The letter may later be read by an ombudsman.
complaint letter: FAQ
- How do I write a complaint letter? State what happened in date order, include reference numbers, attach evidence, say exactly what you want, and give a reasonable deadline to respond.
- Should I send a complaint letter by email or post? Email is fine and gives you a timestamp. For serious cases, some people also send a copy by tracked post.
- What if the company ignores my complaint? Send one follow-up, then escalate to an ombudsman, regulator or consumer body for that sector. Rules vary by country, so check what applies to you.
- Is a complaint letter legally binding? No, but it creates a record. For large sums or legal disputes, get advice from a consumer advice service or a lawyer.
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