How to File a Complaint to Enforcement Directorate

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Complaints may arise at work, school, home or out in public. In a government office or large corporation, complaints may be filed regarding discriminatory practices, unsafe work environments or illegal practices. At home, complaints may be related to noisy neighbors, unlivable conditions or negligent landlords. School-related complaints range from student bullying to abusive teachers to unsafe environments. Depending on the situation, you may file a complaint over the phone, in person or in writing.

1. 1

   Identify the core issue(s). Focus on the actual events that took place. It's important to separate facts from feelings, particularly in emotionally charged situations.

   • If the situation is particularly complex, you may find it helpful to write your thoughts and feelings down in a journal. Getting a better sense of your feelings may help you separate them from the facts of your complaint.
   • If you are having trouble figuring out whether you should complain, consider consulting an unbiased third party. If you do this, make sure that it's someone you trust, who won't share any details of your situation without your approval.

2. 2

   Ask yourself if it's worth your time. Filing a complaint can be a lengthy and stressful process. It's important to ask yourself if filing a complaint is worth your time — particularly if you have a lot of other things to do.

   • Example: you buy a $5 box of hair dye that fails to dye your hair the promised color. You send an email to the company asking for a refund or a coupon for another box of dye, and they say no. If you escalate the situation by asking to speak to a superior, you may still be able to get what you want, but it will take time, and the end result will be using more of the company's products. You might find that it's not worth the trouble.

3. 3

   Determine the proper complaint filing procedure. ^[1] Each setting will require a different procedure, which you should be able to find online (on your company's or school's website), in your employee or student handbook, or by contacting an administrator.

   • The contact person may be your supervisor, your landlord, your school's principal or another relevant person in charge.
   • If the person you wish to complain about happens to be the primary contact for complaints, you should contact someone higher up than them — for example, if you want to file a complaint about your boss, you will likely need to contact human resources.
   • You may be advised to speak to a specific individual, appear in person, write a letter or fill out a form.

4. 4

   Know what solution you want. ^[2] Knowing what sort of resolution you want and then clearly articulating it is key to filing an effective complaint, regardless of whether it's against a company or a person. Solutions will differ depending on the context of your complaint:

   • If you're calling or emailing a company to complain about a faulty product, you'll need to first familiarize yourself with their return policies. If they only replace faulty products and do not refund them, but you do not want the same product, you might ask if they can grant you a store credit instead.
   • If you're complaining about a boss's or a teacher's misconduct, possible resolutions might be that you can transfer to another work branch or department, or change classes or schools; in more extreme cases, you may even believe that the person deserves to lose their job.

5. 5

   Gather your supporting documents. ^[3] Keep these in a file (or a folder on your computer, if they're electronic documents), and continue to update them as your case progresses. The more evidence that you have, the more effective your complaint will be.

   • Examples of supporting documents for a retail transaction could include sales receipts, product listings and email exchanges.
   • For a complaint against a boss or teacher, supporting documents may include inappropriate emails and Facebook messages, journal entries detailing instances in which you were mistreated, or letters of support from witnesses.

6. 6

   Keep records of everything. The types of records you keep will depend on the context of the complaint.

   • If you're lodging a complaint against a business, you'll want to have records of your communications with them as well as any receipts for products purchased.
   • If you purchased a faulty product, keep records of the specific times and ways in which it was faulty; in addition, note what you've done, if anything, to try to fix the problem.
   • Unless you have witnesses, it will be more difficult to file a complaint against a boss or teacher who is verbally abusing or harassing you. Administrators will commonly ask for a detailed account of your interactions with the person in question, so it's best to keep a journal.

7. 7

   Keep a journal (optional). Often in cases of misconduct in the workplace or school, mediators will give more weight to your complaint if you have kept a journal. If you think that you may have a problem with a boss, teacher, or other superior, it's hugely helpful to keep a journal of your interactions.

   • Date your pages and be as detailed as possible about what was said and done. Try to focus as much as possible on facts as opposed to feelings, as handing over a journal full of emotional outbursts against the person may undermine your complaint.
   • If you want to lend more weight to your journal, you might consider doing it in the form of emails to yourself, just so that the dates are recorded in something other than your own handwriting. You can keep these emails in a separate folder of your email account. Just be sure that you don't accidentally send them to anyone other than yourself!
   • Keeping a journal may seem stupid since you could make the whole thing up, but administrators do place a lot of weight on it. Besides satisfying administrators, maintaining a journal can actually help you keep your facts straight during what can end up being a long and confusing complaints process.

1. 1

   Be specific. Regardless of whether you're complaining about a product or a person's behaviour, your complaint will be more effective if you are specific about what has happened.^[4]

   • In the case of a complaint about a company's service, you might write about how the product specifically broke down; provide the details of your communications with the company thus far (including any documents/evidence possible); and then state how you are unhappy with the service you've received thus far.
   • In the case of a complaint against a boss or teacher for harassing you, you would describe when the problem started, exactly what the boss/teacher said or did, and how long it went on for (i.e. give a timeline of the harassment). You would also include descriptions of anything you did to try to avoid that person's unwanted attention, and if applicable, give evidence for the ways in which their behaviour affected your work.

2. 2

   Clearly state your desired resolution. ^[5] When you file a complaint, the people on the other end will be more likely to help you if you clearly state your desired resolution. Doing this may also help the complaint process move along much more quickly.

   • In the case of a faulty product: "I purchased XYZ app 20 days ago and since then, whenever I use it, my device freezes and the only way I can get it to unfreeze is to restart it. I complained to customer service 10 days ago and was sent a brief response 9 days ago that told me to remove and re-download the app. I did that 9 days ago and it is still not working. I sent an email 7 days ago and have not received any responses. At this point I would like a refund, if possible."
   • In the case of misconduct: "On September 10 last year, I attended an office hour with Dr. Smith. During the office hour, and in several instances after that initial time, Dr. Smith made sexually aggressive comments and movements towards me which made me feel uncomfortable. I am struggling because I am depending on him to pass my class, but I do not feel comfortable working with him alone. At this time I would like to report his behaviour in order to prevent him from doing this to other people; I would also like to be moved to another class."

3. 3

   Be respectful. ^[6] Complaints can get emotional, particularly if you're not achieving your desired resolution. It's important to remain respectful at all times — from the time that you submit your complaint to the time that you receive the decision.^[7]

   • Anything you do or say to suggest that you cannot control your emotions may reflect badly upon you, making it less likely that your complaint will achieve its desired results. This is particularly true for complaints about other people's misconduct.
   • No matter what you're complaining about, being respectful and polite is more likely to make people want to help you than the shouting and swearing. Some people might even just straight refuse to help you if you shout and swear at them, and rightfully so.

4. 4

   Ask questions that demand more than "yes" or "no" responses. Instead of saying "can I get a refund?" or "will he be disciplined?" you might ask, "What can be done to help this situation?"^[8]

5. 5

   Polish your complaint. Whether you're filing a verbal complaint or a written one, write it down and give it an edit before submitting it. If it's a verbal complaint, you can write out a script and read it out loud before deciding on a final version.

   • This isn't only about ensuring that you're spelling thing correctly; it's also about ensuring that you've said all that you want to say, and that you've done it in the most effective way possible.

1. 1

   Practise your verbal complaint out loud. Extreme frustration or emotions can cloud your thinking; that's why it's important to really know what you want to say before calling in a verbal complaint.

   • You may find it helpful to write out a script, or at least write down your main points so that you can check them off as you go.

2. 2

   Focus on the facts. When making points/writing a script for your verbal complaint, focus on the facts. When you're feeling emotional, take a deep breath and look down at your script/notes, then return to the facts.

   • Being overly emotional will only make you look weak and unreliable to the people you're complaining to. Some people might even think they've go the upper hand when they see that you are emotional.

3. 3

   Report the facts of the situation in detail. It may be tempting to gloss over details when you speak things out loud as opposed to writing them down. It's important to be just as clear and detailed when making a verbal complaint.

   • Identify the actual events, relevant conversations and/or important transactions that have led to your complaint.

4. 4

   Ask questions. If the person to whom you're speaking says anything that you don't understand, stop them politely and ask them to clarify.

5. 5

   Ask about the next steps. Before you have finished speaking to the person, make sure that you know what the next steps are. Possible next steps:

   • When you can expect a response.
   • Who might be contacting you next.
   • Who you can contact in the meantime if you have any questions or remember any more details while you're waiting for a response.

1. 1

   Determine which form you need. A standard complaint form may be required when submitting complaints in academic, corporate and government settings.

   • Sometimes the form will differ depending on the nature of your complaint. If you have any questions about which form you need, double-check with an administrator.
   • If you need to ask about which form you need, you needn't be too specific about the nature of your complaint — for example, "I would like to file a complaint against a teacher who is sexually harassing me."

2. 2

   Provide complete information. Complaint forms will request your name, the date of the incident, the name of the offender, and the acts and events that you find damaging or offensive. Be sure to respond to all of these requests as clearly and specifically as possible.

3. 3

   Sign and date the complaint form. Complaint forms generally require a signature and may not be processed without one.

4. 4

   Make a copy of the complaint form. Keep the copy in a safe place so that you can review the facts at a later date, if necessary. If you don't have access to a photocopier, you can make a copy of the form by taking a high-resolution photograph of it with your camera or phone.

   • If you end up taking a photograph of the form, make sure that the photograph is clear before you submit the form, otherwise it won't be a useful copy to you.
   • If it's an online form, you can make a copy of it by saving it as a PDF or by taking a screenshot of it. Often you'll be prompted to print a form after you've filled it out; if this happens, choose "print to PDF" in the printing prompt.

1. 1

   Write a complaint letter in lieu of a form. In certain environments, a formal complaint filing procedure may not exist. In that case, writing a complaint letter is important for documenting the events.

   • You may even want to do this in combination with a verbal complaint, just so that there's a written record that your complaint has been submitted.

2. 2

   Provide the appropriate information at the top of the letter. This includes the date that you're writing the letter, as well as the name, professional position (if applicable), and address of the person to whom you're writing.

3. 3

   Introduce yourself. If the recipient of the complaint letter does not know you, provide enough relevant and personally identifiable information that they get a sense of who you are. Such information includes your name, position, address, phone number, and your relationship to the offender(s).

4. 4

   Describe the events or acts that transpired. Recount the relevant conversations, dates, transactions and any actions you have already taken. Provide all necessary information, such as how much money you lost, or who and how many people were involved.^[9]

5. 5

   Ask for appropriate action to be taken. Explain your expectations, whether you are expecting a refund, an apology or some other remedy.

6. 6

   Request a confirmation that the letter has been received. Ask the recipient to indicate that your letter has been received and to clarify the time frame for resolving the issue. Let them know how they contact you — for example, by phone, email, post, or all three.

7. 7

   Keep it as short as possible. Try to keep your letter as short as possible. Stick to the facts and avoid getting overly emotional. If you're describing a situation in which you were harassed or abused, it's important to note that you felt uncomfortable or at risk/unsafe, but try to state this in more objective as opposed to emotional language.

   • More objective: "When I was in his office he closed the door and pulled his chair very close to me, within about 1 foot of my knees. I moved my chair back but hit the wall, and he moved in closer and leaned his face toward me and told me how great I looked standing in front of class during my presentation today. At that moment I felt uncomfortable and trapped as I was against the wall and couldn't move away from him. I didn't want to upset him so I found an excuse to leave as soon as I could."
   • Emotional: "When I was in his office he shut the door, trapping me inside with him as he moved closely toward me and told me how hot I was before obviously trying to kiss me. I felt terrified and was worried he might attack me, but I couldn't move because he had me trapped against the wall at that point. I ran out as soon as I could."

1. 1

   Follow up on your complaint. If you have not heard back within the expected time frame, contact the complaint recipient to inquire about the delay.

   • Unless the company/person has told you otherwise, an appropriate time to wait might be two weeks.
   • If you have not heard anything within two weeks, it's within reason to contact them and politely ask whether they received your complaint. If you're communicating by email, you can attach another copy of your complaint to your message in case they didn't receive it the first time.

2. 2

   Be prepared for it to escalate. Familiarize yourself with the levels that your complaint will go through. If you are struggling to resolve your issue, you may need to seek legal help.

   • If you have a complaint against a business, your first point of contact should be the manager or owner of the business. If that doesn't work, and if the business is a chain, you can contact their head office. If that fails, you might consider filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
   • If you have a complaint against your boss or a teacher, be prepared for your complaint to travel through several channels. Its path will depend on your company's/school's process for complaints.
   • An example of complaining about a professor at a university would be to first submit a written complaint to your head of department (as long as the head isn't the offending prof); you might then need to speak to the faculty dean and, depending on the nature of your complaint, a specific member of the department that relates to your complaint — e.g. plagiarism or sexual harassment will be dealt with by different departments.

3. 3

   Know your rights. Some companies and schools will try to defend the person who has been the cause of your complaint. They will do this because it could be quite expensive for them to fire that person, even if that person has clearly been the one who misbehaved.

   • They may try to make you feel as though you've made a mistake or that you're blowing things out of proportion. It's possible that you are, but if you know you aren't, don't let them tell you you're wrong.
   • If your complaint is something serious, it deserves serious treatment. Unfortunately, particularly in misconduct cases, the company/school will often protect the offender if they are in a position above you, as to admit wrongdoing could cost them a lot of money.

4. 4

   Stay respectful. Your complaint may not go the way you want it to, but it's important to remain respectful to everyone involved.

   • Don't let your emotions get the better of you. the more emotional you appear, the less likely people are to take you seriously or want to help.

5. 5

   Continue to keep records of all communications. As you work through the complaint, ensure that you keep records of all emails, phone calls and/or any other communications.

   • You may need to refer back to these to protect yourself or remind the company/school/etc. of things that they have promised.

1. 1

   Be prepared for things to change. Chances are, the offending party will not be pleased with your complaint. They might even fight back, and this could be stressful for you. You have to be prepared for the fact that your complaint might make things harder for you.

   • If you make a complaint against someone in the workplace or at school, you may be asked to sit down with the offending person and work things out so that you can continue to work together in the future. If it escalates to this level, depending on the offending person's maturity, they might hold resentment toward you and things could just get worse.
   • If things become too difficult, you might consider moving to a different school or job or asking to be transferred to a different department or class so that you do not need to see that person any more.

2. 2

   Let it go . Ideally your complaint will lead to a satisfying resolution. Unfortunately, many complaints do not. If yours does not, you'll need to know when it's time to let go.

   • Remember that you made the complaint because you were unhappy with the way things were going. The most important thing is that you are no longer unhappy; you must make this the focus of your efforts no matter what the outcome of the complaint process is.

3. 3

   Learn from the experience. If there's nothing else that can be done, try to learn a lesson from your experience and then work on moving forward. If you are unsure of what you can learn from the experience, consider asking.

   • This can be particularly useful in a misconduct situation, where you are meeting with people who are trained in conflict management. When they give you the bad news, you might say "I have to admit that I'm disappointed with this outcome. I don't want it to continue affecting my life. Do you have any suggestions for how I might move on from this?"
   • If your complaint was with a company's faulty products and poor customer service, some lessons you might take from your experience could involve anger management, clear communication skills, and a finer-tuned ability to seek out reputable companies with good products.

4. 4

   See a counsellor. Seeing a counsellor could help you work through any feelings that may have been brought up during the complaint process, particularly if it's one of a more personal nature.

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To file a written complaint, write down specific details such as when the problem started, and what was said or done to you by the person you're complaining about. Additionally, include details about any actions you took to avoid the unwanted behavior. Then, state your desired resolution, such as being moved to another office or working a different shift. If applicable, include supporting documents like emails, texts, and letters from witnesses. Finally, submit your complaint to the relevant department or person in charge. For more advice, including how to file a verbal complaint, keep reading.

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How to File a Complaint to Enforcement Directorate

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