Complaint & Appeal: templates and forms
13 forms available to fill out or download.
Report of a problem to the municipality
For street lighting that does not work, potholes, an abandoned vehicle, illegal dumping, noise, a dangerous tree, a missing manhole cover. A report goes further than a phone call, because it is logged with a reference number and has to be answered. Describe the location as precisely as you can and say whether anyone is in danger — that is what determines how quickly it is dealt with.
Application for reconsideration of a decision
The general document for when an institution has refused something and you believe the refusal rests on incomplete or mistaken information. The application identifies the decision by number and date, says specifically what in it you dispute, and sets out the new fact or document you are putting forward. It does not replace an appeal and does not stop the time limits for one — if there is a deadline to appeal, watch it separately.
Report to the manager of the owners' association
For leaks in the common parts, broken lighting, a lift out of service, mess, or persistent breaches of the house rules. The difference between a grumble and a report is that a report is dated and describes the problem specifically — since when, where exactly, and what damage it is causing. The manager's duty to act starts running from its receipt, not from the first complaint on the stairs.
Complaint about a poorly performed service
A complaint about a service follows a different logic from one about goods: nothing is returned, and what you ask for is that the work be done again, that the defects be put right, or that the price be reduced. The document sets out what was agreed, what was delivered and which of the three you are choosing — the choice is yours and has to be stated, or the trader makes it for you.
Complaint to the Commission for Personal Data Protection
The step to take when a controller has not answered your request or has refused it without good reason. The order is the same as in consumer disputes: first a request to the organisation, then a complaint to the commission with a copy of the correspondence attached. A complaint with no prior request is usually sent back, because there is no refusal to examine.
Dispute of an unauthorised payment transaction
Where a payment was not made or authorised by you, tell the bank at once — delay shifts the risk onto you. The dispute describes the transaction by date, amount and payee, says where the card was at that moment, and asks for the money back. File it in writing with a reference number, even if you have already phoned the call centre.
Request for a refund for a service not performed
You paid in advance and the service was never performed — a trip cancelled, a tradesman who never came, a course that never started. The request states what was paid, when and for what, establishes that the service was not provided, and sets a period for the money to be returned. Attach the proof of payment: without it the argument turns into whether there was a payment at all.
Objection to processing for direct marketing
Marketing calls, messages and letters stop on an objection under Article 21 of the General Data Protection Regulation. Unlike the other rights, there is no balancing here and no exceptions: on an objection to direct marketing, processing for that purpose ends. The document lists the channels separately, because unsubscribing from the newsletter does not stop the phone calls.
Objection to a disciplinary penalty
An order imposing a disciplinary penalty is challenged in writing and quickly — the time limit runs from its service, so the first thing to note down is the date you received it. The objection says specifically which of the alleged breaches you dispute and why: you were not heard, the act was not committed, the penalty does not match the gravity. Keep a copy with a reference number.
Objection to the insurer about the amount of a settlement
For when the settlement offered falls short of what the repair actually costs. The objection identifies the claim, the figure you are objecting to, and the ground — a garage quotation, an independent valuation, items left out of the schedule. It also asks for a copy of the expert assessment the insurer relied on, since without it there is no way to contest a particular item.
Complaint to the Consumer Protection Commission
The next step when a trader does not answer a complaint or rejects it. The commission examines complaints about unfair practices and about refusals of consumer complaints. The order matters: first a complaint to the trader, then one to the commission — a complaint with no prior attempt to resolve the matter is usually sent back. Attach a copy of the complaint and of the proof of purchase.
Objection to a utility bill
A bill for electricity, water or heating that does not match actual consumption is challenged in writing with the supplier, before paying under protest or letting it reach disconnection. The objection identifies the invoice, the meter reading and the ground. Keep proof that you filed it — that is what halts further action on the account.
Complaint about faulty goods
When something you have bought breaks, or turns out not to be what was promised, the trader owes you a repair, a replacement or your money back — but by law the complaint has to be made in writing. This form does that: what you bought, when, what is wrong with it and what you are asking for. Keep a copy with a reference number, or proof of posting; without evidence that you made the complaint, time does not run in your favour.