Consumer: templates and forms

A consumer complaint to your electricity or gas supplier in Germany — a wrong bill, excessive instalments, a meter reading not taken over, a missing bonus or a termination left unconfirmed. The letter gives customer number, meter number and supply address, describes the problem, asks for a remedy and points to the four-week statutory deadline for an answer (§ 111a of the German Energy Industry Act, EnWG). If it fails, it is the precondition for a free application to the energy conciliation body, the Schlichtungsstelle Energie (§ 111b EnWG). Not for water or district heating. In German.

A Cypriot cardholder's written request to the bank or card issuer disputing charges: a transaction the cardholder did not authorise, a purchase never delivered, a refund the merchant did not make, a double charge or a subscription already cancelled. It asks the issuer to recover the charge from the merchant's bank (a chargeback) and, for an unauthorised transaction, to refund by the next business day under Law 31(I)/2018, and warns of a referral to the Financial Ombudsman.

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.

For a mobile operator, an internet or a television service. Ringing the call centre does not terminate a contract — the request has to be in writing and has to leave a trace of having been made. The notice identifies the contract, the service and the termination date, and asks for written confirmation and a final bill, which is exactly what is missing in a later argument about charges.

For a person who booked a package holiday in Spain or with a Spanish organiser (flight and hotel, a cruise or an agency package) that did not go as agreed: a different hotel, excursions that did not happen, missing services. The letter claims from the organiser or the agency a price reduction for the days affected and compensation for damage (arts. 161 and 162 of the Spanish Consumer Protection Act, TRLGDCU), and invites it to negotiate as Spanish Organic Law 1/2025 requires before suing. Send it by burofax with certified content to the organiser or the agency that sold the trip. In Spanish.

An out-of-court notice (εξώδικη δήλωση) in which a consumer in Greece sets out a complaint about a mobile, landline, internet or TV service and ends the contract. It relies on the rules of Law 4727/2020: an initial commitment of at most 24 months, termination after it with at most a month's notice, and termination free of charge when the provider changes the terms unilaterally. A court bailiff serves it, so the date from which the termination runs cannot be disputed. For money disputes the next step is Greece's consumer authority, not the telecoms regulator EETT.

For anyone in Italy who finds a contract in their name that they never asked for – electricity or gas moved to another supplier, a phone line or service switched on, a subscription – often after a phone call or doorstep visit: you repudiate the contract and ask for it to stop, for the bills to be cancelled and for a refund. A consumer owes nothing for an unsolicited supply, and silence is not consent (Article 66-quinquies of the Italian Consumer Code). For electricity and gas, ARERA has a restoration procedure; Altroconsumo publishes a free model. Send this Italian letter by PEC to the company’s certified address or by registered post.

For anyone in Italy who wants to end a landline, mobile, internet or pay-TV contract, even before it expires: the law lets you withdraw at any time, on no more than thirty days’ notice and without costs other than those justified by the operator’s own costs (Article 1(3) of Italian decree-law 7/2007, the «decreto Bersani»). Operators also offer free cancellation channels in the customer area or in their shops; to move to another operator and keep your number, just go to the new one. This Italian letter proves the date: send it by PEC to the operator’s certified address or by registered post with proof of receipt.

An out-of-court notice (εξώδικη δήλωση) by which a consumer leaves a gym under the special rules of Greek ministerial decision Ζ1-1262/2007: withdrawal within 30 days of receiving the contract, or termination at any time. It asks for the money for the unused part of the programme back within 30 days — on termination after the first 30 days the gym may keep at most 2.5%, and only if the contract says so — and stops recurring charges. A court bailiff serves it, so the date is proven. A generic 'cancel with notice' letter would give all of this away.

For a consumer in Italy who paid for an online order, or for goods to be delivered home, and has not received them by the promised date or, failing one, within 30 days: you invite the seller to deliver by a new, appropriate deadline and announce that otherwise you will terminate the contract and ask for everything paid back (Article 61 of the Italian Consumer Code). The risk of loss in transit stays with the seller until delivery (Article 63). Send this Italian letter by registered post with proof of receipt or by PEC to the seller’s certified address.

For a consumer in Italy who has already asked the seller to repair or replace a faulty product, without result: you ask for a proportionate price reduction, or declare the contract terminated and ask for the whole price back (Articles 135-bis and 135-quater of the Italian Consumer Code). It applies if the seller refuses or does not act within a reasonable time, if the defect comes back or if it is serious. Italian consumer associations also offer free models. Send this Italian letter by registered post with proof of receipt or by PEC to the seller’s certified address.

For a broadband, landline or mobile customer in France who wants to complain about a failing service or a bill, or to end the contract. As you choose: a complaint, a termination, which takes effect at the latest ten days after receipt (Article L. 224-39 of the French Consumer Code), or a termination without penalty after a change to the contract, within four months (Article L. 224-33). If you switch operator and keep your number, the new operator ends the old contract for you. In French, to send by registered post with proof of receipt.

The declaration to the seller when repair or replacement of defective goods has failed, in Austria: you claim an appropriate price reduction or termination of the sale (formerly Wandlung), giving the ground, the amount, a payment deadline and your account. Under § 12 of the Austrian Consumer Warranty Act (VGG) for consumer purchases from 2022 and § 932 of the Austrian Civil Code (ABGB). Termination is excluded for a minor defect; a price reduction remains. After termination the seller pays for the return. The rights must reach a court within three months after the warranty period ends (§ 28 VGG). In German.

Notice ending your electricity or gas contract in Germany after an announced price increase, without a notice period, on the day the new price is due to apply. Outside basic supply this rests on § 41(5) of the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG), in basic supply (Grundversorgung) on § 5(3) of the StromGVV or GasGVV; basic supply can also be ended at any time on two weeks' notice. With customer and meter numbers, supply address, date of the price notice, a fallback notice for the next possible date and a request to confirm the end date in text form. In German.

A Cypriot subscriber's letter complaining to a mobile, landline, broadband or pay-TV provider and ending the contract: after the initial commitment period, because the provider changed the terms, because of repeated poor service, or early, with a request for a breakdown of any charge. It asks for billing to stop, arranges the return of equipment and warns of a referral to the Office of the Commissioner of Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation (OCECPR).

Notice ending a contract with a Polish phone, internet or TV operator: the customer and contract numbers, the service and number, the basis for ending it to underline — a contract rolled over after the promotional term, an open-ended one, early termination, or a change of terms by the operator — the date wanted, and the return of equipment and any overpayment. It states the one-month notice for a rolled-over contract under the Electronic Communications Law.

For a consumer in Italy who bought online, by phone, by mail order or from a doorstep seller and has changed their mind: you withdraw within 14 days without giving reasons (Article 52 of the Italian Consumer Code) and ask for everything you paid back within 14 days. The model form the seller must give you and, for contracts concluded from 19 June 2026, the «Recedere dal contratto qui» button on shopping websites are free and enough on their own. This Italian letter leaves written proof: send it by registered post with proof of receipt (raccomandata A/R) or by PEC to the seller’s certified e-mail address.

The withdrawal notice for an online purchase, an order by phone or catalogue, or a contract made away from the trader's premises in Austria: you withdraw within 14 days without giving reasons under § 11 of the Austrian Distance and Off-Premises Contracts Act (FAGG) and ask for your money back. The model withdrawal form in the FAGG's annex is free and works just as well; no form is prescribed, and sending in time is enough. For contracts made online from 1 October 2026 the shop must also offer a withdrawal function (§ 13a FAGG). In German, ready to sign and send.

For a consumer in Spain who bought online, by phone or away from the shop (at home or on an excursion) and has changed their mind: the letter withdraws from the contract within 14 calendar days, without giving reasons (arts. 102 to 108 of the Spanish Consumer Protection Act, TRLGDCU), and asks for everything paid back within 14 days. The model withdrawal form in annex B of the TRLGDCU, which the seller must give you free, is enough on its own. This Spanish letter proves what was sent and when: send it by burofax with certified content, or attach it to an e-mail. In Spanish.

For the policyholder of an insurance policy in Spain (car, home, health, funeral or another kind, but not life insurance) who does not want it renewed: the letter tells the insurer that you oppose the renewal at least one month before the expiry date, as article 22 of the Spanish Insurance Contract Act requires, and asks that no premium be charged for the new period. Send it by burofax with certified content, which proves that the insurer received it in time. In Spanish.

For a consumer in France whose order never arrived, arrived late or shows as 'delivered' without being received. The letter goes to the seller, not the carrier: the seller answers for the goods until you receive them. You choose either to give the seller formal notice to deliver within an extra period or, once that period has passed, to notify the end of the contract; the seller must then refund everything paid within 14 days (Articles L. 216-6 and L. 216-7 of the French Consumer Code). In French, to send by registered post with proof of receipt.

For a consumer in France whose faulty item was not repaired or replaced: the seller refused, did nothing within thirty days, the defect persists after repair, or it is too serious to wait. You choose between ending the sale, with the price refunded against return of the item, and a price reduction while keeping it (Article L. 217-14 of the French Consumer Code). In French, to send by registered post with proof of receipt, with the proof of purchase and your first request.

For a consumer in France who bought online, by phone, from a catalogue or from a doorstep seller and has changed their mind: you withdraw within 14 days without giving reasons under Article L. 221-18 of the French Consumer Code, and ask for everything you paid back within 14 days. The model withdrawal form, which the seller must give you free, works too, and since 19 June 2026 online shops must offer a withdrawal function. A letter in French, to send by registered post with proof of receipt or by e-mail so that you keep proof.

A letter ending your household contents, personal liability or legal-expenses insurance in Austria: at the end of the insurance period or term; under § 8 Abs 3 of Austria's Insurance Contract Act (VersVG), for a contract of more than three years, on one month's notice for the end of the third and each later year; or after a claim. With policy number, type of insurance, start date, revocation of the direct debit and a request for written confirmation. Motor insurance has its own document. In German.