What should I include in a poor service complaint letter?

Include the date and nature of the service, what was promised versus what was delivered, any documentation (contracts, receipts, correspondence), the impact on you, what resolution you are seeking, and a reasonable response deadline.

What if a business ignores my complaint?

If a business does not respond to your written complaint, you may escalate to your provincial consumer protection office, file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, or consider small claims court for monetary disputes.

Poor Service Complaint Letter Template (Canada)

Received substandard service from a Canadian business? A formal complaint letter documents your concerns and requests a fair resolution. This tool generates a professional poor service complaint letter tailored to your situation.

Want this as a clean, formal letter instantly? Use the Free Complaint Letter Generator to generate a complaint letter in minutes.

What This Letter Is

A poor service complaint letter is a formal written statement to a business explaining how their service failed to meet reasonable expectations or the terms of your agreement. In Canada, this is commonly used when a contractor did incomplete work, a professional provided substandard service, or any service fell significantly short of what was promised. The letter documents the issue, what you expected, and what resolution you are seeking. This creates a record that may be useful for escalation or dispute resolution.

How This Works

Explain what happened
Enter the business name, service date, and describe the issue.

Get your complaint letter
Our tool drafts a professional letter based on your details.

Send and track
Deliver the letter and note when you sent it for your records.

Generate Your Letter

Used by Canadians to hold businesses accountable for service quality.

When This Letter Works

A contractor did not complete work as agreed in your contract
Professional services (legal, accounting, consulting) were substandard
A repair or installation was done incorrectly
A hospitality or travel service fell far short of what was advertised
Customer service has been unresponsive to your verbal complaints

When It May Not Be Enough

You are dissatisfied but the service met the contractual terms (subjective quality issues)
The service provider has gone out of business or is unreachable
The issue involves professional negligence causing significant harm (consult a lawyer)
You did not have a clear agreement about what the service would include

What to Include

Your contact information and account or order number
Date and description of the service in question
What was promised or agreed upon (reference contracts if applicable)
Specific details about how the service fell short
The impact the poor service had on you
What resolution you are seeking (redo, refund, compensation)
A reasonable deadline for response (10-14 business days)

Legal Context (Canada)

When you pay for a service in Canada, there is generally an implied expectation that the service will be provided with reasonable care and skill. Many provinces have consumer protection legislation that reinforces this, though the specifics vary. If a service falls significantly short of what was promised, you may have grounds for a refund or compensation.

For licensed professionals such as contractors, electricians, plumbers, and others, provincial regulatory bodies set standards and handle complaints. If the service provider is licensed, filing a complaint with their regulatory body can sometimes prompt a resolution or provide additional recourse.

A written complaint serves as documentation that you attempted to resolve the issue directly with the business. This documentation is often required if you later need to escalate to a consumer protection office, industry regulator, or small claims court. Keep copies of all correspondence and any contracts or receipts related to the service. This is general information and not legal advice for your particular situation.

Escalation Options in Canada

If the business does not address your complaint satisfactorily, you may consider:

Provincial consumer protection office: Each province handles consumer complaints
Industry regulators: Licensed professionals (contractors, electricians, etc.) have regulatory bodies
Better Business Bureau: Can mediate disputes and document complaints
Small claims court: For monetary disputes typically under $25,000-$35,000

Frequently Asked Questions

Start by contacting the business directly in writing. Describe the service issue, reference any contract or agreement, state what resolution you expect, and set a deadline.

If a service was not delivered as agreed or was significantly substandard, you may be entitled to a partial or full refund under provincial consumer protection laws.

If a business does not respond to your written complaint, you may escalate to your provincial consumer protection office, file a BBB complaint, or consider small claims court.

Give the business 10-14 business days to respond to a written complaint. If you do not receive a response by your stated deadline, you may proceed with escalation options.