Complaint & Appeal: templates and forms

For a customer with a complaint about a bank, building society, credit card company, lender, pension or investment firm — a charge, a refused or wrong payment, poor service, a mistake or a mis-sold product. The letter is the formal complaint the FCA's rules require the firm to answer: within 15 business days for most payment-services complaints, and within eight weeks otherwise. After its final response, or once the time has passed, you can take it free to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months.

For a borrower who was given a loan, credit card, overdraft limit, car finance or catalogue credit they could not repay without hardship. FCA rules require a lender to check creditworthiness and affordability before lending or raising a limit (CONC 5). The letter complains that the checks were not proportionate, sets out your finances at the time, and asks for interest and charges to be refunded and your credit file corrected. The lender has eight weeks; then the Financial Ombudsman Service is free.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland made redundant after at least two years' continuous employment whose redundancy pay has not been paid: the written claim to the employer that section 164 of the Employment Rights Act 1996 asks for within six months, giving the dates, your figure if you have one, 14 days to pay and a request for the written calculation, then naming Acas early conciliation and the tribunal. GOV.UK's redundancy pay calculator is free. Sent first class and by email.

For a person in England or Wales who disputes a council tax decision — that they are liable for a property, the amount charged, a refused discount or exemption, or that the property is chargeable at all: the written notice to the council that section 16 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 requires before any appeal to the Valuation Tribunal for England or for Wales. The council has two months to answer. Keep paying meanwhile. Sent first class.

For a contract-holder in Wales whose landlord has not carried out repairs after being told. It follows the Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Disrepair Cases (Wales): the defects and when they were reported, the effect on your health and belongings, the documents you ask the landlord to disclose and a proposal for a single joint expert. The landlord should reply within 20 working days of receiving it. If the repairs and compensation are not agreed, the next step is a claim in the County Court.

For a policyholder in the UK unhappy with how a car insurer has handled a claim: a delay, a low offer, a refusal or a write-off valuation. The letter sets out the complaint and what you want, and reminds the insurer that under the Financial Conduct Authority's rules it has eight weeks to send a final response. If you are still unhappy, or eight weeks pass, you can take the complaint free to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months of the final response. Send it by email and keep a copy.

For a contract-holder in Wales whose home needs repairs or is unfit to live in — damp and mould, no heating or hot water, leaks, unsafe electrics, missing smoke or carbon monoxide alarms. Under sections 91 and 92 of the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 the landlord must keep the dwelling fit for human habitation and keep its structure, exterior and service installations in repair, within a reasonable time of becoming aware of the problem. The letter reports each problem with photos, offers access, asks for an inspection within 14 days and confirms you will keep paying the rent.

For a taxpayer anywhere in the UK with a penalty or decision from HM Revenue and Customs on income tax, Capital Gains Tax or Corporation Tax that they think is wrong — a late filing or late payment penalty with a reasonable excuse, a Making Tax Digital penalty, another decision: a written appeal to HMRC within 30 days of the date of the notice, giving your grounds and asking for a review or the tribunal route. For Self Assessment penalties, HMRC's online service and form SA370 are free and do the same. For VAT, the decision letter gives a different route. Sent first class.

For the keeper of a vehicle in England or Wales who has received a council's Notice to Owner, or a penalty charge notice (PCN) by post from a camera, and wants it cancelled. The letter makes formal representations on one of the grounds printed on the notice — the contravention did not occur, you were not the owner, procedural impropriety and the others — with the facts, the evidence and any compelling reasons. It must reach the council within 28 days of the notice being served; the council's free online form does the same.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who has been dismissed, warned or demoted after a disciplinary process: a letter appealing within your employer's time limit, setting out your grounds and what you ask for, and requesting an appeal hearing before a manager not involved in the decision, with a companion, as the Acas Code expects. If you have been dismissed, it asks for the reasons in writing. Hand it in and email it.

For a worker in England, Wales or Scotland with a problem at work that talking has not solved — treatment by a manager or colleague, workload, pay, bullying, a change imposed without agreement: a formal written grievance under the Acas Code of Practice, saying what happened and what you want, asking for a meeting without unreasonable delay and to bring a colleague or union representative. Acas's Code and guidance are free. Hand it in and email it.

For the driver or keeper of a vehicle given a council penalty charge notice (PCN) for parking in England or Wales who thinks it is wrong and has not yet received a Notice to Owner. The letter gives the ticket's details, the reasons it should be cancelled and the evidence. Councils generally hold the 50% discount while they consider a challenge made within 14 days. The council's free online challenge form does the same job; this letter suits post or email. Not for private car park tickets or police fines.

For a consumer in England or Wales who bought a used car from a dealer and found a fault. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the car must be of satisfactory quality for its age, mileage and price, and as described. The letter describes the fault and asks for the remedy you choose: rejection and a full refund within 30 days of delivery, a repair or replacement, or, after a failed repair, a refund or a price reduction. It is a letter before claim: 14 days to reply, then the County Court. Not for a private sale.

For a worker in England, Wales or Scotland whose employer, or former employer, has not paid wages, final pay, overtime or holiday pay that is due: a letter before claim setting out what is owed and how it is worked out, the total, the unlawful-deductions rule in section 13 of the Employment Rights Act 1996, and 14 days to pay, naming the next steps — Acas early conciliation, which is free and online, then an employment tribunal claim. Sent first class and by email.

For a driver or rider in England or Wales whose car, motorbike or bicycle was damaged by a pothole. The letter tells the highway authority (usually the council) when and where it happened, the damage and the cost, and holds it liable for failing to maintain the road under section 41 of the Highways Act 1980; if it relies on the section 58 defence, it asks for the inspection and repair records. A letter before claim: 14 days, then the small claims track. Most authorities also have a free online claim form.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland whose statutory request for flexible working has been turned down: a letter appealing against the decision, giving your grounds — a reason outside the eight the law allows, wrong facts, no real consultation — and any alternative you would accept, asking for an appeal meeting with a companion. The whole decision, appeal included, must be made within two months of the request unless you agree longer. Hand it in and email it.

For a private tenant in England whose home needs repairs — damp and mould, a broken boiler, leaks, faulty electrics. The letter reports each problem in writing, with dated photos, reminds the landlord of the duty to repair the structure, exterior and installations (section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985) and to keep the home fit for human habitation (section 9A), asks to arrange an inspection within 14 days, and confirms you will keep paying the rent. If nothing happens, the council can inspect, and the letter of claim under the housing conditions protocol is the next step.

For a tenant in England or a contract-holder in Wales who has moved out and is still waiting for the deposit. A letter before claim to the landlord or letting agent: it gives the date the tenancy ended, the deposit and the scheme protecting it, asks for the deposit back within 14 days or a written list of any deduction with evidence, and says which deductions you dispute. If you cannot agree, the next step is the scheme’s free dispute service, then the County Court. In England, if the deposit was never protected, use the letter before claim for an unprotected deposit instead.

For a private tenant in England whose landlord has not dealt with serious problems — damp and mould, no heating, dangerous electrics, vermin. The letter asks the council’s private sector housing or environmental health team to inspect the home under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004) and take action against the landlord. Many councils have a free online form, which you can use instead; this letter sets out the problems, the history of your reports and the photos in one place, by post or email.

For a tenant in England whose landlord did not protect the deposit in a government-authorised scheme, protected it late, or did not give the prescribed information within 30 days of receiving it. Under section 214 of the Housing Act 2004, the County Court must then order the landlord to pay between one and three times the deposit, as well as dealing with the deposit itself. The letter sets out the facts, asks for payment of the sum you propose within 14 days, and says you will otherwise make a claim in the County Court.

For a private tenant in England whose landlord has not carried out repairs after being told. It follows the Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Conditions Claims (England): it lists the defects and when they were reported, the effect on your health and belongings, asks for the documents the protocol names and proposes a single joint expert. The landlord should reply within 20 working days of receiving it, saying whether liability is accepted and what works will be done when. If repairs and compensation are not agreed, the next step is a claim in the County Court.