Complaint escalation letter
Your first complaint was ignored and you are taking it further.
When a first complaint goes unanswered or is fobbed off, the escalation is what moves it. It references the original, states plainly that it was not resolved, and sets a deadline and a next step.
Keep the facts and dates tight, and name what you will do next. A specific consequence is what gets an escalation read.
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I am following up on a complaint I first made on about. As it has not been put right yet, I wanted to raise it with you again in the hope of settling it.
Thank you for looking into this again.
Still to fill in: your full name, company name and address, when you first complained, what the complaint was about, what you want done.
A finished example
The same template with every field filled in. The names and details are invented.
I am following up on a complaint I first made on 20 July 2026, reference CMP-40921 about a broadband fault that has left me without a working connection for three weeks. I was promised a callback within 48 hours and have heard nothing in over two weeks. As it has not been put right yet, I wanted to raise it with you again in the hope of settling it.
To put things right, I would be grateful if you could restore the connection or confirm a firm engineer date, Refund the period I have been without service and Confirm the compensation your policy provides for missed appointments.
It would help to have a response by 7 September 2026, so I know where things stand.
If we cannot resolve it between us, I may then refer the complaint to the communications ombudsman.
Thank you for looking into this again.
Escalation of complaint CMP-40921 Dear The Customer Relations Manager, I am following up on a complaint I first made on 20 July 2026, reference CMP-40921 about a broadband fault that has left me without a working connection for three weeks. I was promised a callback within 48 hours and have heard nothing in over two weeks. As it has not been put right yet, I wanted to raise it with you again in the hope of settling it. To put things right, I would be grateful if you could restore the connection or confirm a firm engineer date, Refund the period I have been without service and Confirm the compensation your policy provides for missed appointments. It would help to have a response by 7 September 2026, so I know where things stand. If we cannot resolve it between us, I may then refer the complaint to the communications ombudsman. Thank you for looking into this again. Yours sincerely, Ian Docherty
Questions
- When should I escalate a complaint?
- When the first complaint got no reply within the time promised, or a reply that did not resolve it. Escalating restates the facts, references the original, and makes clear it is now a step up.
- How long should I give them?
- A common window is 14 days for an escalation, on top of whatever the first complaint allowed. State a date, so there is a clear point after which you act.
- What is a good next step to name?
- Whatever genuinely applies: an ombudsman or regulator for that industry, a chargeback through your card provider, or a small claim. Name it only if you mean to use it.
- Should the tone be angry?
- No. Firm and factual carries further than angry. The firm setting here states things plainly and sets a deadline without insults, which is what gets an escalation taken seriously.