📝 Writing a Formal Letter of Complaint – B1+ English

How to Express Dissatisfaction Clearly, Polite, and Effectively

🎯 What You’ll Learn

In this lesson, you will learn how to write a clear, polite, and well-structured formal complaint letter in English. You’ll discover how to:

Include all necessary layout elements (addresses, date, etc.)
State your complaint clearly and professionally
Use adjectives to express your feelings appropriately
Organize multiple issues using connectors
Use passive voice and reported speech effectively

Review the full example below to see these techniques in action!

📄 Example: Formal Complaint Letter

Task: Complain about a disappointing holiday experience with a travel company.

123 Filmore Road
Chadthorpe
Lancs.
5th September 2022
Feel Free Travel
253B Delaware Buildings
Portree
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to express my dissatisfaction at the service I received on my holiday with Feel Free Travel. My friend and I went on the 8-day tour of Greece, reference GR36A, from the 5th to the 13th of August, and we were extremely disappointed with the accommodation and the food.
First of all, your brochure stated that we would stay in ‘clean, mid-range hotels’. However, my bedroom was dirty in the Olympia Hotel, and the Opera Hotel was in a noisy and unsafe part of town, which made me feel very anxious.
Secondly, although the brochure stated that all meals were included, I was shocked by the food that we were served at the hotel restaurant. For lunch, we were given a small, squashed sandwich and a carton of juice. To make matters worse, when we complained to the tour guide, we were told to buy more food at the supermarket.
I feel that I am entitled to a refund to compensate for this terrible service.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours faithfully,
Julie Watkins

📄 Elements of a Formal Letter

• Your address (top right-hand corner)
• Date (below your address)
• Recipient’s address (left-hand side, below the date)
• Salutation: “Dear Sir/Madam” (if name unknown)
• Closing: “Yours faithfully,” (when using “Dear Sir/Madam”)
• Signature with your full name

🧭 Key Writing Techniques

✔ Opening the Complaint

• I am writing to complain about…
• I wish to express my strong dissatisfaction at…
• I am writing to express my disappointment regarding…

✔ Giving Key Details

Always include:

• Dates of the event
• Reference numbers (e.g., booking code)
• Specific services or products involved

✔ Connecting Problems

Use connectors to link issues logically:

• First of all / Firstly…
• Secondly / In addition…
• To make matters worse…
• Finally…

✔ Stating What You Want

• I feel that I am entitled to a refund.
• I expect a full refund.
• I hope you will take the necessary steps to resolve this.

🛠️ Language Tools

🗣️ Describing Feelings

Use strong adjectives with adverbs for impact:

• We were extremely disappointed with the accommodation.
• I was shocked by the poor quality of the food.
• I felt very anxious about my safety.

🔄 Passive Voice

Use the past simple passive to focus on what happened to you:

• We were given a small sandwich.
• I was told to buy my own food.
• We were assured that all meals were included.

📢 Reported Speech

Report what brochures or ads claimed (change tenses):

Brochure: “All meals are included.” → The brochure stated that all meals were included.
Advert: “You will stay in clean hotels.” → It was claimed that we would stay in clean hotels.

↔️ Contrasting Expectations vs. Reality

• Your brochure stated that... However, my room was dirty.
• Although the brochure stated that meals were included, we received almost nothing.

📝 Remember: Even when you’re upset, keep your tone calm, polite, and professional. A respectful letter is more likely to get a positive response!

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