Tips for making a complaint

There is now an expectation in both the public and private sectors that organisations have complaint handling procedures. So, as a general rule, you should make a complaint directly to the organisation concerned to give them the opportunity to address your concerns. Apart from resolving your complaint, bringing the matter to the attention of the organisation may result in changes to their policies or procedures that will benefit other members of the community.

A letter is best but a telephone call may resolve the matter quickly

Address your letter to the person responsible

What to include in your letter

Tell them what you need

Ask for action

Tell them what you will do if the complaint is not resolved

Keep records

Be persistent

What to do if unsuccessful

A letter is best but a telephone call may resolve the matter quickly

It is usually best to write a letter of complaint, particularly if you are dealing with a large organisation. If you write, someone will be given the job of answering your letter and it is more likely to be directed to the right area or person.

However an initial phone call may help clarify some of the issues or may help you understand the organisation’s complaint handling procedures. For example, some complaints may require a special form or a statutory declaration. Phoning is also better if you are dealing with a telephone service supplier.

If you do phone, it is best to talk to the person who deals with your type of complaint as the matter may be able to be resolved immediately. Tell them about your complaint, ask them if they can help and what they intend to do. Always ask for their name and position and keep notes of what was said and the time and date of your call.

Telephone complaints can be frustrating. You are not always able to speak to the person directly responsible and calls don’t get returned. If nothing happens, it is then difficult to prove that you complained in the first place. So, if there is any doubt about whether your concerns have been properly addressed, write a letter. Even if you are satisfied, it may be best to confirm your understanding of your phone conversation in writing.

Address your letter to the person responsible

You should send your letter either to the person in the organisation who is responsible for supervising the person or area that you are having trouble with or to the complaint handling officer, if there is one. If you are unable to identify these people, write to the head of the organisation. Make it clear in your letter that you consider them responsible for the problem and that they must address your concerns. Your letter should be firm but polite.

What to include in your letter

Your letter should be clear and to the point. Summarise in a couple of sentences exactly what your complaint is about. Don’t tell your life story or go into excessive detail. Your letter should be set out in a logical order and should include:

relevant dates, places and times
a description of the incident or problem
details of any phone conversations and meetings
any explanations you think are important
copies of relevant documents.

Tell them what you need

Explain what action you think should be taken to resolve your problem. Indicate in a polite way that you are giving the person or organisation a chance to fix a mistake or an omission, rather than abusing or blaming them for what happened. That usually makes people defend their actions or the actions of their organisation rather than properly address your concerns.

Make sure your demands are not unreasonable. If your request is realistic and within the power of the person you are writing to, you are more likely to get your complaint resolved.

You could also ask for details of their complaint handling procedures which might help.

Ask for action

Always request that your letter or phone call be acknowledged in writing. Ask the organisation for an estimate of how long it will take to deal with your complaint. If there is a degree of urgency involved, let them know this and explain why.

Tell them what you will do if the complaint is not resolved

It may be appropriate to tell the person or organisation that if the complaint is not resolved, you will complain to someone else. This may be someone higher in the organisation or an outside body like your local Member of Parliament, the responsible Minister, the Ombudsman or another complaint handling or appeal body.

Keep records

It is important that you keep copies of all the letters you send and receive as well as details of all telephone calls. You may need to provide evidence of your dealings with the organisation, particularly if you decide to refer the matter to another agency.

Be persistent

If nothing happens, call the organisation to check on the progress of your complaint. If they are not able to provide you with an update, then write again. Make it clear to the person you speak or write to that the problem will not go away unless it is resolved.

What to do if unsuccessful

If your complaint is not properly resolved, or is not dealt with in a reasonable time, you may want to take it to another agency. The following pages set out the names and addresses of various organisations that deal with complaints. We have grouped these organisations according to industry or subject matter.

Click on the link below for contact details of complaint handling bodies:

Complaint handling bodies