We know it can be difficult to start writing about what has happened and understand what you are complaining about. Our advice below aims to break this down into small, manageable steps that you can tackle more easily. You can use these tips to write about your complaint at any stage - from Stage 1 to 3.
If you find yourself overwhelmed and unsure what to do, reach out to us at the Advice Service and we can talk about your complaint and help you figure out where to start.
How to write & present your complaint
Preparing your statement is a crucial part of your complaint, as it's essential for communicating clearly and with strong evidence. It can be challenging to know where to start, what to include (and what to leave out), and how to write in a clear, concise manner—especially in complex cases with multiple events. Check out the drop-downs below for step-by-step guidance.
We're also here to proofread your statements and provide feedback to help strengthen your case. Get in touch as soon as you can!
Getting Started
It can often be difficult to know where to start when explaining an issue. The best approach is to take some time to reflect on what you're complaining about and begin by noting down the key points:
Clear dates (and time stamps if possible)
A clear description of the circumstances you are complaining about
An overview of any steps you took to try and resolve the problem
The rules or policies you believe have been breached.
Once you've made notes on these key points, you can begin to think about gathering supporting evidence.
Gathering Evidence
Evidence is essential to back up what you've stated happened and how it impacted you. For each event or claim you make, it’s best to provide a source of evidence such as:
Medical certificates, from doctors, counsellors or therapists
Invoices and receipts from costs incurred
Email correspondence
Letters
Highlighted policies, statements or claims in University documents, course materials or handbooks
Obtaining strong evidence for verbal conversations can be difficult. In these cases, it is always a good idea to send (or request) an email summary of what you discussed and ask the other party to confirm or amend anything if necessary.
If you are struggling to obtain relevant evidence, think outside the box - consider people you’ve spoken to or who witnessed the incident, such as peers or staff. If you’re unsure what evidence to provide, reach out to us at the Advice Service as soon as possible and we can help guide you.
Please note: if your evidence is in another language, you'll need to get this formally translated and should account for the time this may take.
Drafting a Statement
Remember the staff member(s) reading your complaint will not know you or your circumstances. This means they won’t read between the lines or make their own conclusions. If your points are unclear to someone who does not know your case- do not assume they will understand what you mean. We recommend providing as much detail as possible, in a clear and accessible manner.
It is best to start chronologically, and use the following questions as prompts:
What happened?
How did the event/incident affect you - what was the impact?
When did this occur?
Why do you think the University has not handled this situation properly?
What do you hope will happen as a result of your complaint?
Don’t worry if your first draft is long and messy - just start by getting all your thoughts down. It’s better to provide too much information at first, rather than not enough.
Review your statement a few times to make sure you’ve got it right, kept it concise and focused on the questions above. Always think about how the person reading will understand it.
The Advice Service can proofread your statements and provide feedback - so get in touch!
Three important things to remember:
You may feel angry, but avoid writing an angry letter. You’re more likely to be heard if you’re reasonable and pragmatic.
Focus on the facts and evidence; exaggerating events will damage your credibility
Avoid making personal or rude comments
Once you have finalised your evidence and draft statement, if you have some extra time it’s worth creating a timeline of events to lay out what has happened, and to number your evidence documents with clear labels, then refer to these numbers (like citations) in your statement.