How to make a complaint
Making effective complaints and getting what you want
Every day thousands of us are given cause to complain about
something, be it through substandard service, unsatisfactory goods
or just plain incompetence. However, knowing how to
complain is something that many people have yet to learn and they
often lose out - potentially causing even more needless stress and
financial grief as a result.
Complaining to a company needn't be a chore. It is not difficult
to make an effective complaint and get the result you want once you
know how.
Before you begin, have a look at the free complaint guides in our
Claim £1000s section to see if your specific complaint
is listed. If not then just follow the simple steps below…
Make your complaint
First of all before you make your complaint you must be sure of
exactly what you want and why. For example do you
want a refund, compensation or just an apology? Was this because
you were badly treated, or received defective goods, what exactly
went wrong?
Being able to boil down your argument into a couple of sentences
will ensure that your complaint is looked upon more favourably by
whoever handles your complaint.
The next thing to do is to gather evidence that
is relevant to your complaint. This can be receipts, photos,
witness statements or anything else you think would help support
your argument. You may also need reference/customer numbers for the
company to identify you by.
Now you are ready to make your complaint you must find out
who to direct the complaint to. Industry
regulators usually require you to give the company involved a
chance to put things right before escalating your complaint to the
authorities.
Most reputable companies will have a code of practice and a
complaints procedure which can usually be found on
their website. Obtain a copy so you can be sure that they are
handling your complaint correctly and that you are following the
correct procedure.
The next step is to write a letter of complaint to
the company.
- Explain clearly why you are complaining,
i.e. what the problem is, what you want the company to do to fix
the situation and when you expect a response by (14 days is
generally accepted as being reasonable.)
- Keep the letter short and
to-the-point, and make it look
professional by using a computer with a
spellchecker if possible rather than writing it by hand.
- Mention any evidence
that you are including with the letter and how it supports your
complaint.
- Quote any relevant laws if you know
them. For example if your complaint relates to faulty goods you can
mention the Sales of Goods Act 1979.
- Remember to be reasonable and don't let your
emotions get the best of you even if you have a valid reason for
being extremely angry. The person who handles your complaint may
have to deal with dozens of irate customers a day and so look more
kindly upon calm and reasonable arguments.
- Send your letter by recorded delivery if
possible so that you have proof that the company received it.
- If you complain by phone then the procedure is similar to the
above. Remain calm and collected and make sure that you note down
the time of the call, who you spoke to and what was said.
The company's response
Hopefully the company will uphold your complaint and compensate
you appropriately. If not then write to them again (remember to
include all previous correspondence between you and them)
explaining why they are in the wrong and that you will take further
action such as escalate your complaint to the relevant ombudsman or
take them to court.
If you are still unsatisfied with their response after this then
either escalate your complaint to the regulatory ombudsman (the
company should tell you who this is) for independent arbitration or
take legal action. If you are claiming for less than £5000 then
please look at our guide on taking disputes to the small claims
court.
In most cases companies do resolve complaints to their
customer's satisfaction but if you do decide to take legal action
it is highly advisable to consult your local Citizens' Advice
Bureau or a solicitor first.
Good luck!
Claims Financial