Adam Frankel
General Counsel · Technology & AI
15+ years as General Counsel to technology, cloud & AI companies
Letter to warn trader about court action for faulty goods by Citizens Advice
The Citizens Advice template letter before court claim for faulty goods helps consumers request a refund and sets out their intent to pursue legal action. It is part of Citizens Advice’s widely trusted library of open, lawyer-vetted letter templates.
Letter before court claim for faulty goods
[sender name]
[sender line address 1]
[sender line address 2]
[sender email]
[sender phone]
[recipient name]
[recipient line address 1]
[recipient line address 2]
[letter date]
To whom it may concern,
Re: [product description]
I have not received a reply to my letter dated [previous letter date] regarding the faulty goods which I bought from you on [purchase date]. The letter explained what is wrong with the goods and why I am entitled to a refund.
I am once again requesting a full refund of the purchase price of [purchase price] on the grounds that the goods were not of satisfactory quality under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. I enclose a copy of the proof of purchase.
I would like a reply as soon as possible so that I know you have received this letter. If you don't agree to the refund, could you please then send me a detailed response saying why you don't agree.
To avoid taking court action, I am willing to use Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve this problem.
If I do not receive a satisfactory response from you within [number of days] days of the date of this letter, I intend to issue proceedings against you in the county court without further notice. This may increase your liability for costs.
I refer you to the Practice Direction on pre-action conduct under the Civil Procedure Rules, and in particular to paragraph 13-16 which sets out the sanctions the court may impose if you fail to comply with the Practice Direction.
I look forward to your acknowledgement.
Yours faithfully,
[sender name]
Enc: copy of proof of purchase
About this template
What is this template?
This is a formal letter before claim that complies with the Practice Direction on pre-action conduct. It specifically addresses faulty goods and is not a generic debt collection letter. It contains a field for a specific deadline for response and a reference to Alternative Dispute Resolution.
When should you use it?
Use this letter after a trader has failed to respond to an initial request for a refund under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Use a standard 'Letter of Complaint' instead if this is the first time you are contacting the trader about the fault.
Who it's for
- a consumer seeking a refund for goods not of satisfactory quality
- an individual who has already sent a previous letter without receiving a reply
- a claimant preparing to issue proceedings in the county court
- a party offering Alternative Dispute Resolution to avoid litigation
How long it runs and how it's signed
How long
Used once
Signed by
sender name
Witness
Not required
Notarisation
Not required
Also needed
enclose copy of proof of purchase
Law it's drafted under
Governed by
Consumer Rights Act 2015
Refers to
Civil Procedure Rules
Refers to
Practice Direction on pre-action conduct
England & Wales note
This version is drafted for England & Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland differ on some points — for example notice periods and tribunal procedure. Tell GitLaw where you hire and it adjusts the draft.
Categories
Jurisdiction
England & Wales
Source
Document info
HTML document. Document created on Fri Sep 26th, 2025. Last updated on Mon Nov 3rd, 2025.
This document is public
Licensed under Proprietary / All Rights Reserved.
Come to agreements faster
Write, review, negotiate, and manage legal contracts
Related documents
FeaturedEngland & Wales
Letter to say you received goods or services you didn't ask for by Citizens Advice
This letter informs a company that you have received goods or services you did not order and treats them as unsolicited under UK law. It gives the sender a deadline to collect the items at their own expense before they are treated as your property.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedEngland & Wales
Letter to complain about misdescribed goods bought from a private seller by Citizens Advice
This formal letter is for consumers in the UK who have purchased items from a private individual that do not match the description provided at the time of sale. It facilitates a claim for financial compensation based on the difference in value between the price paid and the actual worth of the goods.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedEngland & Wales
Letter to end contract due to poor work and 'lost faith' by Citizens Advice
This letter terminates a contract for services that began before 1 October 2015 due to poor workmanship and a loss of faith in the contractor. It cites the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 to justify hiring an alternative contractor and seeking recovery of additional costs.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedEngland & Wales
Letter to complain about faulty goods bought from a company by Citizens Advice
This letter helps individuals request a full refund from a business for a faulty product. It formally asserts legal rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, specifying that the goods must be fit for purpose.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
FeaturedEngland & Wales
Letter to complain to a phone company about cashback by Citizens Advice
This letter allows a mobile phone customer to notify their service provider of a failure to pay an agreed cashback amount. It sets a deadline for the provider to honour the deal before the customer initiates further action for breach of contract.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
Featured
Letter to cancel or return goods bought online, over the phone or by mail order by Citizens Advice
This formal letter allows consumers to cancel an order and request a full refund for items purchased remotely. It follows the standard UK cooling-off period requirements for goods bought online, over the phone, or via mail order.
Updated 13 Aug 2026
Frequently asked questions
A template isn't binding on its own - like any contract, it becomes binding once it's properly completed and signed. Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law; review any template before you sign it.
Yes. Chat with GitLaw to edit any section, or make changes directly in the editor.
Yes, read about team plans here.
Describe what you need in the chat and GitLaw will draft it for you.
Templates in our curated library are professionally drafted for US or UK law. The wider library comes from the GitLaw community and public sources - a solid starting point, but check any template fits your situation before you rely on it.
Mostly US and UK law. Some templates use general commercial terms that work across jurisdictions, and many note which law they're written for.
It depends on the situation. Templates work well for routine business agreements. For anything involving significant money, complex IP, employment, or areas you're unsure about, it's worth getting professional advice before you sign. GitLaw provides templates and tools, not legal advice.
Open any template in GitLaw and describe the change you want in the chat — 'make clause 4 mutual' or 'add a 30-day notice period', for example. GitLaw drafts the revised language and shows it as a suggested edit. You accept, reject, or keep editing from there.
Yes. Upload a Word, PDF, or Markdown file and GitLaw will open it in the editor. You can review, edit, or chat with GitLaw about it the same way you would with any template from the library.
Trusted by 5,000+ businesses
From template to signed, in one place
Every template opens in an editor with an AI agent alongside it.
1
Open
Pick a template and open it. Nothing to download, and no credit card to start.
Free to open
2
Edit with AI
Describe your situation in chat and the agent adapts the wording, clause by clause.
Tracked changes you can review
3
Send and sign
Share it for negotiation, then collect signatures without leaving GitLaw.
eSign included
Built for your legal work,
with practicing lawyers
Trained on 5,500+ clauses and specialist areas of law. Built with a standards committee of independent lawyers.
Adam Frankel
General Counsel · Technology & AI
15+ years as General Counsel to technology, cloud & AI companies
Juliana Calil
Principal Counsel · Technology & Entertainment
20+ years in-house at Google, Intel, Disney and Looker
Adam Wardel
General Counsel, Data Privacy Officer & AI Advisor
12+ years leading legal & privacy for SaaS and AI companies
John Hoffman
Associate Director, Corporate Counsel · Life Sciences & Technology
20+ years in corporate counsel, incl. senior counsel at Certara
Richard Nohe
General Counsel · Telecom, Cloud & Data Centers
20+ years in-house, regional General Counsel at BT across 30+ countries
Joe Al-Khayat
General Counsel · Technology & High-Growth Companies
Cross-jurisdictional M&A and SaaS contracting across the UK, US & Australia
Joshua Woo
Technology, AI & Privacy Counsel · APAC
Former Goldman Sachs Executive Director for AI, cybersecurity & privacy in APAC
Sahil Verma
International Business & Investment Lawyer
13+ years in business law, investment law & dispute resolution
Matthew Willis
CRO & General Counsel · SaaS
Former President of the ACC's 2,200-attorney Chicago Chapter · JD + Kellogg MBA
Mayowa Ogunrinola
Legal Consultant · Fintech & AI Compliance
Regulatory strategy, AI governance & data protection for fintech and AI
Steven J. Shanker
Partner and Chair of Corporate and Employment Law
25+ years as a corporate & employment attorney in New York
Rebecca Babbage
Legal Counsel · Financial Services, Corporate & Governance
UK-qualified solicitor working in-house with regulated entities in financial services
Ready to get started?
No sales calls, no credit card. Just chat with GitLaw.
GitLaw provides templates and tools, not legal advice. Templates are a starting point, not a substitute for advice on your situation - for anything significant, speak to a qualified lawyer.