How to write a letter Anne Smith

Information applies to Scotland only

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Registered charity no: 279057 Company no: 1436945 England

How to write a letter

Writing to organisations or individuals can be a good way of making your voice heard,

asserting your rights, and resolving disputes.

Layout

There are some general rules to remember when laying out your letter that help to make

the information clear and readable. If you don’t have access to a computer, then it’s fine

to write by hand. Follow the same format.

Your address. You can also include a

phone number and email address if you

want to.

The address of the individual or

organisation you are writing to.

The date.

If you know the name of the person you

are writing to, include that here, eg.

“Dear Mr Miller”.

Subject line. It’s usual to start this “Re:”

as shown here.

If you know the name of the person you

are writing to, end with “Yours

sincerely”, if not, end with “Yours

faithfully”.

Print or type your name and include your

signature.

8 Willow Road

Glasgow

G12 3AB

ABC Company

42 Docklands Road

Aberdeen

AB12 3CD

15 February 2021

Dear Sir / Madam

Re: policy number 1234

Reason for writing

I am writing to complain about….

Facts of the case

On 25 January 2021, I bought….

What you would like to happen next and when

I expect a full refund for the faulty product within

14 days of receipt of this letter….

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Anne Smith

Information applies to Scotland only

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Registered charity no: 279057 Company no: 1436945 England

What to say in your letter

Before you start the letter:

 think about the outcome you want. For example, you might want someone to

apologise, to offer you a refund or to change a decision

 note down the main points you want to say – include relevant dates and times,

names of anyone involved, and how you’ve been affected

 make a list of steps that have already been taken, such as phone calls to the

organisation

 if you know about laws, policies or government guidance that may be relevant to

your point, include these in your notes.

Use these notes to help you write the letter. It can help to break the letter down into three

parts:

1. A beginning that explains who you are and why you’re writing

2. A middle section giving detail and facts

3. An end section that says what action you expect and when you expect to get a

reply.

Your letter is more likely to get the outcome you want if it includes all relevant information

and makes it clear to the reader what they’ve been asked to do next. It is important that

the reader is clear who sent the letter and how to get in touch with you. State your case

simply and clearly. Avoid being emotional. Be polite even if you’re frustrated, angry or

upset. Stick to the facts.

Signing off and checking

Close your letter with a final sentence like:

 Thank you for your assistance

 I look forward to hearing from you.

The letter ends with the sign-off, your signature and name.

Once you’ve finished writing the letter, don’t forget to read it over and check that you’ve

included everything you wanted to say. If you’ve used a computer, run the spell checker

to check for typing errors. It’s usually a good idea to get someone else to check it for you

as well, if you can. They may spot things you’ve missed.

Keep a copy

Make sure you sign, date and keep a copy of the letter. You may need to refer to your

letter again or provide a copy as evidence of action you’ve taken.

Enclosing other documents

You can include other documents, if you think it will help back up your case. For example,

you may want to include copies of receipts, bank statements, letters you’ve received or

letters you’ve sent.

Information applies to Scotland only

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Registered charity no: 279057 Company no: 1436945 England

If you’re enclosing other documents, make sure you mention what you’ve enclosed in

your letter.

Posting

Where possible, get proof of posting from the Post Office. This is a free service. In some

cases, you might want to use Signed For Delivery to prove the letter was received. Staff

at the Post Office can tell you more about this service or you can look up details online on

www.royalmail.com.

And don’t forget

Sign, date and make a copy of the letter before you send it.

More help with writing letters

Get more help with writing letters on these pages on our website:

 Sample letters to creditors

 Consumer template letters

 Credit and debt factsheets

Last updated: 12 August 2021

Produced by Citizens Advice Scotland (Scottish charity number SC016637), an operating

name of The Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux. This fact sheet provides

general information only and should not be taken as a full statement of the law.