Writing a letter of complaint seems about as pointless as dropping a message into a bottle. But companies generally welcome feedback — positive and negative — and consumers who take time to write a letter will most likely get their problems addressed. That said, not all methods of letter writing are going to work. A long, abusive rant will probably be tossed into the garbage or, worse, posted in someone's cubicle until the paper yellows and the writing fades. A well-written letter of complaint (not an e-mail) can achieve several goals at once: It allows you to tell your side of the story, it helps safeguard any legal rights you might have, and it generates written documentation for your files. Here, a sample letter that you can tailor to your needs.

Your name
Your address
Your city, state, ZIP code

Date

Name of company
Address
City, state, ZIP code

Re: Your account information or customer number, or a one-line summary

Dear (name of manager, president, or owner — spelled correctly):

On (date), I (purchased, rented, repaired, leased) a (product) in the amount of (dollar amount) from (name of store), located at (address of store). Unfortunately, when I (got the item home, opened the box, plugged it in, assembled it, etc.), I realized the item was (damaged, defective, missing a part, etc.), and I was unable to get it to work.

To resolve this problem, I would like to request a (state specific request: credit to charge card, replacement item, correct part, merchandise credit). For your review, I have enclosed copies of my (sales receipt, warranty, charge card, etc.). I would like to resolve this problem quickly and would be grateful if the process could be completed by (date). Please feel free to call with questions. I can be reached at (work phone number) or (home phone number). I can also be reached via e-mail: (e-mail address).

Thanks in advance for helping to resolve this matter.

Sincerely,
Your signature
Your name, printed

cc: Names and addresses of relevant people and organizations — your state attorney general (www.naag.org), the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov), trade organizations, consumer agencies (www.consumer.gov), or top officers in the company are smart choices. Use your discretion.