Business Letter Writing: Claim Letters

By Kenneth Beare, About.com Guide

The following letters make claims against unsatisfactory work.

Useful Key Phrases

  • As someone who has worked with ...
  • we were very disappointed to find / see / have discovered ...
  • As our written agreement stipulated, we expected ...
  • I think you will agree that a communication problem exists.
  • We would like you to ..., or provide us with a refund.

Example Letter

Drivers Co.
3489 Greene Ave.
Olympia, WA 98502

August 17, 2001

Richard Brown, President
Document Makers
Salem, MA 34588

Dear Mr. Brown:

As someone who has worked with your company for over 3 years, we were very disappointed to see the documents you produced for our latest Drivers Co. publicity campaign.

As our written agreement stipulated, we expected full color leaflets with fancy explanatory texts, but instead, we found that black and white photos had been included in the prepared leaflets. I think you will agree that a communication problem exists.

We would like you to send out a photographer to provide us with the promised color coverage, or provide us with a refund.

Yours truly,

(signature here)

Thomas R. Smith,
Director