Scotland: templates and forms

For a passenger whose flight arrived three hours or more late, was cancelled at short notice, or who was denied boarding, on a flight covered by UK261 (Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 as it forms part of UK law): every flight from a UK airport, and flights to the UK on a UK airline or, from outside the EU, on an EU airline. The letter claims the fixed compensation in pounds — £220, £350 or £520 per passenger, by distance — from the airline that operated the flight, unless extraordinary circumstances caused the problem. Send it by email or the airline's claim form, and by first class post.

For a traveller in Scotland 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, which apply across the UK, 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 action with 14 days to reply, then simple procedure in the sheriff court. Send it to the organiser by email and by first class post.

For a consumer who bought goods or a service online, by phone or away from the trader's premises and has changed their mind. The notice cancels the contract within the 14-day cancellation period of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, with no reason needed, and asks for a refund within 14 days. The model cancellation form the trader must give you, or its own online form, does the same job free. Send it by email and by first class post with a free certificate of posting, and keep a copy.

For a customer who has cancelled a Direct Debit or standing order with their bank — usually in online banking, free and at once — and needs to tell the company it paid. Cancelling the payment does not end a contract or a debt, so the letter states your position: the contract has ended, you will pay another way, or you dispute the charges. Under the Direct Debit Guarantee, your bank refunds at once any payment taken in error. Send it by email and by first class post.

For the driver or keeper of a vehicle given a council penalty charge notice (PCN) for parking in Scotland — on a street, in a council car park, or for pavement or double parking — who thinks it is wrong and has not yet received a Notice to Owner (for pavement or double parking, an enforcement notice). The letter gives the notice's details, the reasons it should be cancelled and the evidence. The council's free online challenge form does the same job; this letter suits post or email. A bus lane or Low Emission Zone penalty sent by post is answered with formal representations instead. Not for private car park charges.

For the keeper of a vehicle in Scotland who has received a council's Notice to Owner for parking, an enforcement notice for pavement, dropped kerb or double parking, or a penalty charge notice sent by post for a bus lane or a Low Emission Zone, and wants it cancelled. The letter makes formal representations on a ground printed on the notice — the contravention did not occur, you were not the owner, the vehicle was taken without consent, the charge was too high, or another ground listed — with the facts, the evidence and any compelling reasons. It must reach the council within the time on the notice; the council's free online form does the same.

For a member who wants to end a gym membership, a club or a paid subscription. The notice ends the contract on the basis you choose — its own notice terms, the end of the minimum term, or the 14-day cancellation right for a contract made online or by phone — and asks the provider to take no payment after the last one due. The subscription rules of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 are not yet in force. Send it by the channel the contract names, or by email and first class post.

For the directors of a solvent private limited company in the UK that has stopped trading and is to be closed. The written resolution records that the company meets the conditions of the Companies Act 2006 for voluntary strike-off, authorises the application on form DS01 (£13 online) and the copies that must go within seven days to its members, employees, creditors, any director who did not sign and pension trustees. A company that cannot pay its debts is closed through an insolvency practitioner instead.

For a business in Scotland ending a contract with a supplier, customer or other business, either on the notice the contract allows or because the other side has committed a material breach. The letter identifies the contract and the clause relied on, gives the end date, describes any breach, and records that payments due and surviving terms continue. Follow the contract's notices clause on address, method and timing, and keep proof of delivery. Ending a contract for a breach that is not material can itself be a breach, so take advice if unsure.

For a tenant in Scotland with a private residential tenancy who wants to move out. You end it by a notice in writing, given freely, that states the day your tenancy ends: more than 28 days after your landlord receives it, unless the landlord agrees in writing to a different period. Today every joint tenant must sign. The notice can ask the landlord to agree an earlier date, asks for a check-out and gives your new address. Send it by recorded delivery or by hand, or by email if your landlord agreed to email in writing; a posted notice counts as received 48 hours after sending.

For someone in Scotland who gave a general or one-off power of attorney and wants to end it — they no longer need it, or no longer trust the attorney. The revocation ends the power from the day you sign it, and is signed before one witness so that it is self-proving. Give a copy to the attorney and to every bank or organisation that has dealt with them, so that no one goes on relying on the power. Not for a registered continuing or welfare power of attorney: the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) explains how to end one.

For someone in Scotland who has revoked a general or one-off power of attorney: a letter to a bank, building society, utility, landlord or any organisation the attorney has dealt with, saying the power has been revoked, asking them to stop accepting the attorney’s instructions and to confirm it in writing. It encloses a copy of the signed revocation and goes by recorded delivery, or by hand. Not for a continuing or welfare power registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland), which is ended through the OPG.

For an employee in England, Wales or Scotland who wants to change their hours, days or place of work — part-time, compressed hours, home or hybrid working: a dated, written statutory request under section 80F of the Employment Rights Act 1996, giving your present pattern, the change and when it should start, and saying whether you made another request in the last 12 months. It is a right from your first day, and the employer must decide within two months. Hand it in and email it.

For a customer who wants to close a current account with a bank or building society. Under regulation 51 of the Payment Services Regulations 2017 you can end a current account at any time, subject to a notice period of up to one month if your terms set one, and closing is free once the account has been open for six months. The letter asks the bank to close the account, cancel cards and payments, pay the remaining balance to another account and confirm the closure in writing. Most banks also close accounts free in the app, by phone or in a branch.

For a private landlord or letting agent in Scotland whose tenant has fallen behind with the rent. Before applying to the tribunal on the rent arrears ground, a landlord must meet the pre-action requirements: this letter gives the tenant clear information on the tenancy terms, the arrears period by period, the tenant’s rights in eviction proceedings and where to find free advice on money and debt, and invites them to agree a reasonable repayment plan by a set date. It never threatens to change the locks: only a tribunal order can end the tenancy. Send it by recorded delivery and keep a copy.

For a consumer in Scotland 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; it is also a letter before action, with simple procedure in the sheriff court as the next step. Send it by email and by first class post.

For someone in Scotland who needs another person to act for them in one matter only — selling a car, signing a contract, dealing with a bank account or a property sale while they are abroad. The power names the matter, what the attorney may sign and when it ends, and is signed before one witness so that it is self-proving. Like every power that is not a registered continuing power, it has no effect while you are incapable (Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, s 18). If a letter of authority or the organisation’s own free form will do, use that first.

For a pregnant employee in England, Wales or Scotland: the written notice of your pregnancy, the expected week of childbirth, the date you want your maternity leave to start and the date for Statutory Maternity Pay, given by the end of the 15th week before the expected week, with your MAT B1 certificate enclosed or to follow. It asks your employer to confirm in writing, within 28 days, when your leave ends and what you will be paid. GOV.UK explains maternity pay and leave free. Hand it in and email it.

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.