The job: Something you bought was faulty, a service let you down or a trader isn’t replying, and you want to put it in writing without it turning into a rant.
What AI actually does here
- Turns your notes into a clear timeline: what you bought, when, what went wrong and what you’ve already tried.
- Drafts a short, polite letter or email saying what you want (a refund, repair, replacement or apology) and a reasonable date to reply by.
- Suggests evidence to attach, such as receipts, photos and order confirmations.
Tools to look at
- General assistants (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini)
- Citizens Advice consumer template letters, to compare with the AI draft
Named tools are examples, not endorsements. We have no paid relationships with them at the moment; see our disclosure.
What you need first
- This isn’t legal advice. AI can misstate your rights or the law, so check what applies to you with Citizens Advice, or call its consumer helpline, before you rely on it.
- The facts and paperwork: dates, order numbers, amounts and copies of any messages so far.
- Your personal details added by you at the end, rather than pasted into the AI tool.
- The trader’s own complaints process. Check how they ask you to complain before you escalate.
How to tell if it’s working
- Whether you got a reply, and how long it took.
- The outcome compared with what you asked for.
- Time spent writing the complaint, compared with starting from scratch.
Run the numbers in the ROI calculator →
What the evidence says
No statistics cited. Citizens Advice publishes free template letters for common consumer problems, such as faulty goods. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 includes a short-term right to reject goods that aren’t as they should be, generally within 30 days of delivery; check the Citizens Advice guidance for how this and your other rights apply to you.
Ready-to-use prompt
Replace the [BRACKETS]. Only paste data you’re allowed to share with the tool you’re using.
View promptHelp me write a complaint. Keep it firm, polite and under 300 words. This is a draft for me to check, not legal advice.
Help me write a complaint. Keep it firm, polite and under 300 words. This is a draft for me to check, not legal advice.
WHAT HAPPENED (no personal details):
"""[what you bought or used, when, how you paid, what went wrong, what you've tried so far]"""
WHAT I WANT: [refund / repair / replacement / apology / something else]
1. Write a short timeline of the facts, using only what I've told you.
2. Draft the letter: a clear subject line, the facts, what I want, the evidence I'm enclosing, and a reasonable date to reply by.
3. Don't quote laws or rights unless I've pasted them in from an official source. Instead, list the rights I should check with Citizens Advice.
4. List any facts I've left out that the trader will probably ask for.
Leave [MY NAME], [MY ADDRESS] and [ORDER NUMBER] as placeholders.Sources
- Citizens Advice, Template letters Charity guidance
- Citizens Advice, "Return faulty goods" Charity guidance
- legislation.gov.uk, Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 22 (time limit for short-term right to reject) Legislation
- Citizens Advice, "Contact the consumer service" Charity guidance
Last updated . Spotted something out of date? Email support@aiforthisjob.com. How we research and check playbooks.