Writing complaint letter, your opinions

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m looking for your opinions or some help in writing a letter of complaint. I’m not interested in your opinion on whether I should be complaining or not, sorry, but I know this thread will run off track and become a debate about the situation.

The problem and some background: Today I went to my local Leisure Club with my girl friend to play a game of squash at 1:00pm. I am a member and was asked if my girl friend was a member, I told the leisure club attendant (who just happened to be the leisure club manager ) that my girl friend was not a member. I was told that I would have to pay my GF in as a guest. I asked how much that costs and was told £8 off peak. I made clear that we only wanted to book the court for 1 session (45 mins) and were not using any of the other services, ie free towels, showers etc. The staff said she was sorry but it would still cost £8. I then told her that I have been a member for 15 years, and during the last 4 years had kept my membership despite only being able to attend 5 to 10 times each year, the club had always been good and was not busy at this time. She wouldn’t change her mind, so I said told her we would not be playing squash today and left.

Now some background: I have been a member for 15 years as have my family (mum, dad, sister), the membership is £49 per month per person.My sister uses the facilities the most probably weekly, my parents have not been for several years, I have been away at uni for the last 4 years and have been only seldom during breaks when i was home. The leisure club adjoins and is run by a hotel, for the last 9 years our family have provided both the leisure club and hotel with business (every christmas our family organise a christmas dinner for all our friends and coworkers about 300 people attend and the leisure club has been booked out for children’s parties when we were younger). The leisure club is quite small, 12 meter pool 2 squash courts and a small gym (some free weights, running machines and a few other weights machines). I have played squash with non members before about 30 times over the last 4 years., admittedly I did not say nor was asked if my squash partner was a member.

Now for the letter: I would like to write to express my disappointment that a non member squash partner has to pay as a guest, especially the full price of £8 which entitles them to use all the facilities all day.

I would like them to consider changing their club rules, or prices or just make an exception for me.

I don’t want the letter to be an angry rant. please help me construct it.
Thanks

2

A complaint letter is relatively easy to write if you stick to three simple rules:

  1. The letter should be short, straightforward, and focus on the one problem you want resolved, rather than dragging in other issues. The shorter it is the better. If it is longer than this post it is too long.

  2. The letter should be polite and concentrate on stating that you are displeased with a state of affairs. You should not make personal accusations or take general shots at the organization.

  3. If your complaint is related to someone you want changed, you should specifically state what you want.

Hope this helps.

3

Changing Club protocol will probably not happen: That being said, I wouldn’t hurt to mention it as this may be a problem other members are having.

I agree that keeping it concise is the best plan of action. I would not make it a tirade, as much as I would make it a formal complaint.

4

In this case, I think you want to make it specially clear that you’re not complaining about the manager’s behaviour (which was by the book), but about the book itself.