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For the directors of a private limited company in the UK recording a board meeting: who attended, the quorum, declarations of interest, and each decision taken, such as a bank mandate, a contract, an interim dividend or new premises. Every company must keep minutes of its directors' meetings for at least ten years (section 248 of the Companies Act 2006), and the chair signs them as a correct record. Nothing here is filed with Companies House.

For a consumer whose complaint to a trader has got nowhere — a refund refused, a deposit kept, money owed for faulty goods or poor work. This is the letter before claim the Practice Direction on Pre-Action Conduct expects before a court claim: it sets out the claim and the amount, lists your documents and gives 14 days to reply, and says you will otherwise claim in the County Court, through Money Claim Online. Send it by email and by first class post with a free certificate of posting, and keep a copy.

For a personal customer tricked into sending money by bank transfer to a fraudster — a fake investment, a purchase that never existed, a caller pretending to be the bank or the police. Under the reimbursement rules for authorised push payment scams, your bank must normally refund payments made by Faster Payments or CHAPS since 7 October 2024, up to £85,000, if you claim within 13 months of the last payment. The letter makes the claim in writing and asks for a decision; if refused, the Financial Ombudsman Service is free.

For a customer with a problem with a mobile, landline or broadband provider, or a TV service in the same package: slow or broken service, wrong bills, a price rise or contract change you were not told about, or trouble when moving home. The letter is the formal complaint the provider must deal with; if it is not resolved within six weeks, or you get a deadlock letter, you can take it free to the provider's ADR scheme, the Communications Ombudsman or CISAS. Send it by email or first class post.

For a consumer who paid all or part of the price of goods or a service costing more than £100 and up to £30,000 with a credit card, and whose trader broke the contract or misdescribed what it sold — faulty goods, nothing delivered, a firm gone bust. Under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 the card provider is equally liable with the trader. The letter makes the claim; if the provider rejects it or has not answered within eight weeks, you can take it free to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

For the executor or administrator of someone who has died, or a person who may have a claim arising out of the death, in England, Wales or Scotland. An application under section 3(1)(f) of the Access to Health Records Act 1990 to a GP practice, hospital or health board: it names the patient, says in which capacity you apply, lists the records wanted and recalls the Act's 21-day and 40-day time limits. Enclose the death certificate and your evidence. Posted first class. Sold blank, to complete by hand, as it concerns health records.

For a traveller whose package holiday — flights and hotel, or other travel services sold together — was not as booked: a different or poor hotel, missing services, a changed itinerary. Under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 the organiser is responsible for every part of the package and owes a price reduction and compensation for what went wrong. The letter claims them and is a letter before claim with 14 days to reply. Send it to the organiser by email and by first class post.

For a client and a self-employed consultant or freelancer in England and Wales, working on their own account or through their own limited company. The agreement covers the services, fees and invoices, expenses, the right to send a substitute, who owns the work, confidentiality, liability, ending the contract and the off-payroll working rules (IR35) for medium and large clients. Its wording does not decide employment or tax status, which follows how the work is actually done, so each party should take advice if the status is unclear.

For a director of a private limited company in the UK who is stepping down. The letter resigns with effect from a stated date, asks the company to notify Companies House within 14 days on form TM01 and update its records, and states that resigning as a director does not by itself end any job or shareholding. Under the model articles a resignation takes effect as it states once the company receives it. A company must keep at least one director who is an individual, so a sole director arranges a replacement first.

For a debtor who confirms in writing how much they owe a creditor, and for the creditor who asks for it — a private loan, unpaid rent, money owed between friends or businesses. Signed by the debtor, it is an acknowledgement under sections 29 and 30 of the Limitation Act 1980, so the six-year limitation period starts again from its date; a debt that is already statute-barred is not revived. An optional plan sets monthly instalments. The debtor signs; the creditor keeps the original.

For someone chased by a debt collector or debt buyer for a debt they do not recognise, dispute or believe is more than six years old. The letter does not acknowledge the debt: it asks for proof — the agreement, a statement of account, the default notice and the assignment — or states that the debt is statute-barred under the Limitation Act 1980 and will not be paid, which FCA rules require a firm collecting a regulated credit debt to respect. Send it first class with a free certificate of posting, and keep a copy.

For a parent in Wales who wants to see, or have a copy of, their child's educational record held by a maintained school. A request to the head teacher under regulation 5 of the Pupil Information (Wales) Regulations 2011: the record must be made available to you free, and a copy given at no more than the cost of supply, within 15 school days of your written request. It also asks for any other personal data under the UK GDPR. Sent by email or handed in at the school office; you may write in Welsh.

For the board of a private limited company in the UK appointing a new director. The directors' written resolution records the appointment, the date it takes effect and who will notify Companies House, and the new director signs a consent to act. Since 18 November 2025 a new director must first verify their identity with Companies House and give the company their personal code; the company files the appointment on form AP01, online, within 14 days. The company keeps this record in its books.

For two businesses or individuals in England and Wales about to share confidential information before a deal, a joint project, an investment or a supplier relationship. Each party agrees to keep the other's information confidential, use it only for the stated purpose, share it only with people who need to know it, and return or destroy it on request, for the number of years chosen. It keeps the usual exceptions and allows reports to the police and protected disclosures. Governed by the law of England and Wales.

For a former keeper in the UK who sold or passed on a vehicle but is still shown on DVLA's record and is getting reminders, a late licensing penalty or fines for it. If you still have the log book (V5C), tell DVLA first with GOV.UK's free online service, which updates the record at once. The letter is for what that cannot fix: it gives the date and time of the sale and the new keeper's details, says how DVLA was told, and asks DVLA to correct its record and stop action for the time after the sale. Sent first class to the address on DVLA's letter.

For anyone in England, Wales or Scotland with a workplace or personal pension who wants to know what it is worth, or has lost touch with the scheme after moving house or changing job. A letter to the scheme administrator or provider asking for a statement of your benefits under the pension disclosure regulations of 2013 — the value built up, any transfer value and the date you can take it — and updating your address. Posted first class. Find a lost scheme's contact details free with the Pension Tracing Service on GOV.UK.

For a policyholder whose insurer has refused, underpaid or delayed a claim, mis-sold a policy or added unfair charges — car, home, travel, pet or other insurance. The letter is the formal complaint the FCA's rules require the insurer to answer within eight weeks; after its final response, or once eight weeks have passed, you can take it free to the Financial Ombudsman Service within six months. Send it to the insurer's complaints team by email or first class post.

Start with GOV.UK’s free guidance on the Standard Visitor visa and its guide to supporting documents: they say who can apply and what a visitor may send. This letter is for someone in the UK inviting a relative or friend from abroad. It tells UK Visas and Immigration who you are and your status here, your relationship to the visitor, the dates and purpose of the visit, where they will stay and who pays. The visitor applies and decides what to send. It is your own statement of facts, not advice on the application; no letter guarantees a visa.

For a resident unhappy with a council service or decision — bins, potholes, planning enforcement, noise, social care, a school place process or poor handling of an earlier request: a formal complaint under the council’s complaints procedure, saying what happened, what you have done so far and what you want the council to do. Use the council’s online form if it has one. If you are still unhappy after its final reply, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman looks at complaints free of charge.

For a borrower or customer who cannot keep up with a loan, credit card, overdraft or bill after a change such as job loss, illness or a cut in income. The letter explains what has changed, offers a monthly payment you can afford and asks the creditor to accept it, freeze interest and charges, and confirm in writing. FCA rules require lenders to treat customers in financial difficulty with forbearance. Free debt advice is also available from MoneyHelper, StepChange and Citizens Advice anywhere in the UK, from National Debtline in Great Britain, and from Advice Direct Scotland and Advice NI. Send it by email and by first class post.

For two private individuals — relatives, friends, a couple — lending money to each other, with or without interest. The agreement records the amount and when it was paid over, the interest if any, the final repayment date or monthly instalments, and what happens if a payment is missed. A loan between private people, not made in the course of a business, needs no FCA authorisation, falls outside most of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and needs no registration or stamp duty. Both sign it, and each keeps a signed copy.

For a parent in England who believes their child has, or may have, special educational needs that the school cannot meet from its own resources. A request to the council under section 36 of the Children and Families Act 2014 for an education, health and care needs assessment: it sets out your reasons and evidence, and asks for the decision within six weeks and for your appeal rights if the council refuses. Posted first class; many councils also have a free online form. Sold blank, to complete by hand, as it holds a child's health data.

For a consumer whose order from an online or high-street trader has not arrived. Under section 28 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the trader must deliver within the agreed time or, if none was agreed, within 30 days, and the goods stay at its risk until you have them (section 29), so a parcel lost in transit is its problem. The letter gives a final 14 days to deliver, after which the contract ends and a full refund is due. Send it by email and by first class post.

For a borrower with a loan, credit card, store card or catalogue account regulated by the Consumer Credit Act 1974 who wants a copy of the agreement and a statement of the account. Under section 77 (fixed-sum credit such as a loan) or section 78 (running-account credit such as a credit card), the creditor must send them within 12 working days of a written request with a £1 fee; while it fails to, it cannot enforce the agreement. Send it with the fee, first class with a certificate of posting.