If you are unsatisfied with a product or service you purchased, you may be able to get your money back. A refund demand letter can help to assert your right to a refund if the marketplace refuses to return your money.
What Is a Refund Demand Letter?
A refund demand letter is a formal letter that demands you receive the refund you were entitled to in exchange for a return of a good or service. You may also send a refund demand letter after receiving unsatisfying service or service that fails to make good on its guarantees.
A refund demand letter is typically sent before any legal action is taken.
What to Include in a Refund Demand Letter
A refund letter must lay out your right to a refund, your reasons for requesting a refund, and how and when you expect the refund to be paid. Your refund letter should be a concise letter demanding payment and include relevant information.
Refund Demand Letter Example
Below is an example of what the body of a refund demand letter should look like. Notice the way that it sticks to the facts of the case and the order in which those facts are laid out. You can use this sample letter to create your own refund demand letter or you can use our free refund demand letter template available below.
Demanding a Refund in 5 Steps
In most cases, if you are unsatisfied with your product or service, there will be some option for you to make a formal request and receive a refund. Follow these steps to send a refund demand letter and consider any potential next steps in demanding your refund.
Step 1: Check the Refund Policy
Before you draft a refund demand letter, check the refund policy. Most companies have some sort of refund policy or warranty. However, there may be a time limit within which a refund must be requested. If that time limit has expired, you may not have a right to a refund. Other companies may have a strict no-refund policy.
Make sure the company gives out refunds, and look at all the conditions that allow for a refund.
Step 2: Locate Your Purchase Receipt
This is why it’s important to hold on to purchase receipts. You will need to provide proof of purchase. Your receipt will show the exact amount that you paid on the exact date. This will provide the business—or the state attorney general—with proof of your purchase, and will help to back up your demand for a refund.
If you made an online purchase, you will likely have an online receipt rather than a physical receipt. Check your spam or trash folders if you don’t immediately find your purchase receipt.
Step 3: Provide Reason for Refund
In your refund demand letter, you must provide a reason for the refund. If this was a service you ordered, you will need to state why that service did not leave you satisfied. If the refund is for purchased goods, you will need to lay out why those goods did not serve the purpose that they promised. Your reason for a refund must fit within the terms of the business’s refund policy.
Step 4: Outline the Payment Details
Make sure that you explain how you would like the payment to be refunded. If you made a cash purchase, you may ask for a check or money order for a refund. If you purchased the item on a credit or debit card, the process will be easier. Ask for payment to be refunded on the same card with which the good or service was purchased and for which you have the original receipt. The business will have a record of this purchase and can make this refund.
Step 5: Finalize the Demand or Consider Further Action
Sign the demand letter and send it off. From there, if a refund is not made or if the business does not respond to your written request, you may need to consider further action. This should be laid out in your demand letter, as well.
For example, look at the refund demand letter example. In it, the sender gives a certain date by which they expect the refund to be paid. If it is not paid by that date, she states, she will file a consumer complaint with the state attorney general.
Make sure that you promptly follow through if further action is necessary. Reach out to your state attorney general to learn how to file a consumer complaint and what your rights may be when it comes to a refund. Your local Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce may also respond to your negative review and offer further suggestions for legal avenues to pursue.
How to Write a Refund Demand Letter
Before you write a demand letter, make sure you have the proper documentation, mainly your purchase receipt. If the refund policy demands a return of the product, return the product before sending a refund demand letter.
Your letter will need your contact information, as well as the street address of the business and your contact for the refund. From there, state the amount that you want to be refunded, the company’s refund policy, and your reason for requesting a refund.
In the final paragraphs, tell the recipient when you expect to receive the refund. You should also add the next steps you plan to take if they do not refund the payment by that date. Although this may seem aggressive, it is a good way to assert your legal rights in the event that you have to take legal action in the future.
Refund Demand Letter Sample
FAQs
Do I Need to Hire an Attorney to Write a Refund Request Letter?
You do not need to hire an attorney to write a refund request letter, especially if you use our free template. However, an attorney can be useful in terms of providing advice and supporting you through possible future legal action.
How Should I Send a Refund Request Letter?
Send a refund request letter by certified mail, return receipt requested. This will require the recipient to sign that they received the letter, and the receipt will be returned to you for confirmation.
What If the Refund Request Letter Doesn’t Work?
If you still do not receive your refund, you should follow through with legal action. Reach out to your state attorney general’s office about filing a consumer complaint.