Letter of Complaint to the Council

Originally written by Jeff Durham, updated by the editorial team on 11th June 2026

What councils do and why standards matter

Local councils in the UK are responsible for a wide range of services that affect daily life. These include bin collections, housing, road maintenance, planning decisions, social care, and leisure facilities. The specifics vary depending on whether you deal with a county council, district council, unitary authority, or London borough. Some services, like housing, may be handled by housing associations rather than the council itself in certain areas.

Council tax pays for many of these services. You can expect them to be delivered to the standard set out by the council or required by law. When something goes wrong, or when you feel a service has fallen short, you can complain.

Council Complaint Letter Generator

Complain to your local council about a service issue. Takes 2 minutes.

Try our Council Complaint Letter Generator free, here on this site →

When to put your complaint in writing

Many people start by phoning the council, sending an email, or using an online form. This often works well for straightforward issues. However, there are times when a written complaint makes more sense.

Consider writing a formal letter if:

Your initial contact did not resolve the problem
You want a clear record of what happened and when
The issue is serious or ongoing
You need to set out several points or include evidence

Most councils have their own complaints procedure, which you can usually find on their website. Some provide a specific form to fill in. Even so, you can still send a letter if you prefer. Either approach counts as a formal complaint. Email can also work well, as it creates a written record and allows you to attach documents easily.

Your situation may be slightly different. ask a question below ↓ and our editorial team will reply with our advice.

How to write your complaint letter

Keep your letter clear and factual. State the problem, explain how it has affected you, and say what outcome you are looking for. Avoid venting or making personal attacks, as this rarely helps and may slow things down.

Include the following information:

Your full name, address, and contact details
The date of your letter
A clear description of the problem, including dates and locations if relevant
Any reference numbers from previous contact with the council
Copies of supporting documents, such as photographs, emails, or receipts
What you would like the council to do in response

Address your letter to the relevant department if you know which one handles your issue. If not, send it to the general complaints team and they will pass it on. Keep a copy of everything you send, and make notes of any phone calls, including the date, time, and name of the person you spoke to.

The tone should be firm but polite. You can express frustration without being aggressive. A well written complaint is more likely to be considered effectively than one perceived as hostile.

What to do if your complaint is not resolved

Councils usually have a multi stage complaints process. If your initial complaint does not lead to a satisfactory outcome, you can ask for it to be escalated. Most councils will review the matter at a higher level.

If you have completed the council's internal complaints process and remain unhappy, you may be able to take your complaint to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. This is an independent body that investigates complaints about councils in England. In Wales, the equivalent is the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales. Scotland has the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.

Before contacting the Ombudsman, you must have formally completed all stages of the council's complaints procedure. The Ombudsman can look at whether the council acted properly and can recommend remedies, though they cannot force a council to change its decision in all cases.

If you plan to escalate, write to the council stating that you wish to proceed to the final stage of their process. Give them a reasonable deadline to respond, such as 14 to 28 days, and explain that you will refer the matter to the Ombudsman if the issue remains unresolved. This shows you are serious and gives the council a final opportunity to act.

For guidance on the complaints process and your rights, look for the dedicated complaints section on your council's website or check GOV.UK for general information on local council services.

The Next Step

Now that you have read through the advice above, you might want to put it into practice. Our Council Complaint Letter Generator lets you complain to your local council about a service issue. Takes 2 minutes. Try it now →

62 questions

Ask Letter Expert a Question

LetterExpert Editor 12/08/2026 at 4:04 pm

@Doggie Your objection needs to focus on planning grounds, not the applicants themselves, or the council will disregard it. Highlight the highway safety issue with access onto a busy B road, loss of equestrian use, lack of proper drainage and utilities, and any conflict with the local development plan or green belt policy. Reference specific policy numbers from your council's local plan if you can. Get neighbours to send in separate letters too, as numbers do carry weight at committee stage.

Doggie 12/08/2026 at 3:43 pm

Complaint re a planning application for six static caravans for travellers to be put on a site of stables and manaege. Its on a side road of a very busy B road.

LetterExpert Editor 19/05/2026 at 9:16 am

@To Your best bet is to put this in writing to your local council's sanitation department, quoting the specific street, collection day and the fact that bins are being left blocking driveways. Include photos with dates if you can, as that tends to get things moving far quicker than a phone call. You can also report it to your local councillor, who can chase it on your behalf. If nothing changes after a fortnight, escalate to the head of waste services.

To 24/11/2025 at 5:06 pm

I’m a resident of E.175th street. I have a very serious complaint concerning the city garbage service. Every Monday the garbage cans are in the street. Blocking driveways. I contemplated about sending this. I was hoping this would stop. It’s getting worse! Please do something.

jeannie 17/09/2024 at 11:41 am

I would like to know how to get information on the preservation order on the oak trees that are in the gardens of St James Meadow in Boroughbridge. Although the owners of the properties have the trees trimmed from their side , nobody seems to care about the other side which back on to our property. We have had a few large branches fall off in the last couple of weeks. I am really concerned about my property, as these trees are hanging over my property. I am 76 and am a carer for my husband who is 86, if any of these branches were to fall on our property , it will be very difficult for me to get my husband and myself out
quickly and safely. I need some reassurance that these trees are safe, as there is a lot of rotten branches. How do I get this reassurance.

Queenly 19/02/2024 at 11:29 am

Please I need help to write an email to the council regarding pack of stray dogs in my area

Dottie 01/11/2023 at 10:45 pm

I need help writing a letter In regards to my unregistered dogs and also in regards to the tremendous amount of fines I'm receiving from mo local shore council

MA 22/05/2023 at 11:39 pm

Please someone help me to write a complaint letter to counsil about bild houses on park

Mikey 10/02/2023 at 11:39 am

Torbay Council, adult safeguarding, tsdft and dpnhst all failed to safegaurd me, leading to two illegal evicitons in a row. I am still of NFA and at severe risk. They all claim that I am not at risk, yet I am self harming daily, not eating and in distress.

I am in immense pain and distress and no one is doing anything.

BEN 07/01/2023 at 10:09 pm

I would like to make a formal complaint to whom ever is responsible for maintaining and cutting the grass verges and parks from Tikipunga shops, right through and including Corks road, Station road and other areas of public access in that region. The grassy areas have not been mowed or maintained for some time now and it is very noticeable not only to myself and other residents of that area, but also to people visiting from outside of Whangarei. This area is starting to become grotty and I am sure that when visitors see it, would have a change of mind to re-visit because of how disgusting it looks. In addition to the grass, there is also so much rubbish that Council used to pick up and keep clean, but again, have not done so for some time now. The question you have to answer, is why should I pay such high rates when surrounding areas of our residential homes don’t reflect the cost that we should be paying and its all because of your responsibility to keep our areas clean has gone out the window.

Nan 07/07/2022 at 7:05 pm

Hi, Please help. Help me to write to the local council about overpopulated houses. Some help a homeless family for almost three years not but the both have 2 children each 12 years old and are opposite sex and 3 years the same sex. I will be very grateful if some helps to write to mine local council.
Thanks
Nan

hi me ??? 04/06/2021 at 11:11 am

Hi my name is Mac Nugget and I live in the apartment numbered 2378 and I am writing to you because of the amount of pet noise in our apartment. My wife and I are going nuts. The neighbours are always getting new pets and caring for them. It's a zoo even in our house! The pets are always barking, hissing etc. They are making noises from 6 o’ clock to 7 thirty.

I understand the council can control these kinds of problems. So can you write a letter to them and tell them about the animals. I already wrote a letter to them asking them to either get rid of the pet or stop the barking but they wouldn't answer me. They wouldn’t even touch the letter like they put a kind of deadly virus on there. But you as the council have more power in loads of stuff and i don’t think they would ignore you. My wife and I are really sad about this because you put a sign saying no animals allowed and your apartment has high star ratings.

Foad 10/05/2021 at 12:48 pm

This disgusting that mear leaf me with. Dirty water that is not fresh it is make me I'll because I am make claim mear came out said was fresh when it was not because make me with infections and it's making my toddler ill

Foad 10/05/2021 at 12:45 pm

Mear come out leave me with dirty water with little bit in my water make I complain I got toddler who is three years old

Foz 21/04/2021 at 3:36 pm

Hello

I would like to make a formal complaint to Blackburn with Darwen council against two social workers. My late father was placed in a nursing after becoming paralysed and suffering memory loss due to an accident he had in 2016. I have had issues with my late fathers level of care and the trust I put into the social workers, as I was promised my father would be sent home to me which was what my initial plan was when I discovered my father had the accident, so myself and my sons could take care of him. Reports stated that my father had vascular dementia and so he had trouble understanding anyone but he understood me very well which is stated in the each assessment my father had ever had. The social workers hid important information from me e.g his medication being stopped, him being in end of life, this was of course very heart breaking when it suddenly slipped out from one of the social workers mouths and then becoming very embarrassed and losing control of the conversation. All I did was give my dad hope “ not long now dad you will be coming home soon “ and day by day I could see my dad becoming more and more hopeless that he will never come home which is al he wanted to be with his daughter. He ended up staying in two nursing homes for two years.The events that took place with me and my dad are heart breaking, but to cut the story short my father lost hope and died right before my eyes without any warning without being ill. This event has left me traumatised, I have trouble sleeping, my appetite is poor and am fighting a thyroid dysfunction song with taking care of two small children. I want justice please can you help me?.

LD 02/02/2021 at 3:15 pm

Hi there!
I wrote an extensive explanation of the help I needed with my complaint to my local council. I didn't receive confirmation of it from your site but it was on your site for a several days. There was no reply although I checked several times. I saved it in my browser now it's disappeared and I can't find it anywhere. Can you help please? I need to deal with this issue and the text of my request for help would be very useful
Thanks
LD

Obidon 12/12/2020 at 9:54 am

Pls I need a letter of complaint to the government about a man that built fence on a major road that the government should come and ask him to remove the fence

Su 08/11/2020 at 12:22 am

I would like you to help me Compensation about my housing Association there was a flood coming down from all the house I will kitchen sink and bathroom sink was coming all the water that the whole building was using and it made I will kitchen damaged and I washing machine was seven month old washing machine was damaged it's not working anymore we don't have no washing machine in my house and my mother is elderly she doesn't work and we've been going to outside to wash out close but it's taking so long and because of the lockdown we don't have a washing machine right now and I really need you to write a letter or email so that I could get compensation and they could fix our kitchen and a bathroom is really smelly and horrible they even damaged the floor in the corridor the wood is damaged I want you to write this for me please in a nice way so that I could fight for my rights

Tarik 11/08/2020 at 8:54 am

I waiting to write letter to the southwark council
Regarding this issues
Lift no working for over week
The stairs ful of dumps and drug addict
Urine in lift and the stairs
The smells very strong
Drug dealers
No safety for children to go out
Please help me with this to write a official complaint thank you
Kindly

Ac 19/02/2020 at 7:38 am

Could you please give me some advice on writing to my local council I have a friend who as three children and one of the children is going though intense chemo she lives in a flat that is not fit for living in it is full of damp and this is also making the flat very cold which is not good for them and definitely not good for the child going though chemo she as had the council out and they have moved her to priority but each time she as bid on houses she as been really low down on the list of priority. She is really started to feel like she isn't getting anywhere and she is very worried about her son getting ill because of the damp and cold. Could you advice me on the right way to write a letter of complaint thank you

huzaifah 17/01/2020 at 11:02 am

I would like to complain to the local council because they have bombarded walthamstow with parking permits. This is not just a problem but a concerning factor flying across my mind for many reasons. One of the main reasons the council is doing this, is so that they get money when people buy permit tickets to park or when people park in restricted area even though they are not allowed to. Like i mean what am i supposed to do. we are being deprived from visiting are local family members through out the day. Doesn't the council gain enough money anyway especially from the speeding cameras. now one of the main main reasons i am campaigning for this is that i can not even take part of classes and youth clubs in walthamstow because of the parking problems it own.
help me with campaigning with the council
please, it is your duty
thank you
yours sincerely,

Kf 07/09/2019 at 11:10 pm

I want to right a letter to some one who made the park across the road from us I don't no how i have sent a letter the houseing group or the local councils my son is 4 years old there are no baby swings for little ones to go on there is only a rop swing there he as full off th st to day and is face is a right mess there is room to put baby swings there

dulla 08/08/2019 at 11:53 am

Road name of Our residence use by couple of places in our Local Council
so need to write a letter to Chairman of the Council to change our road name to
another name described by us.

Dulip

Santana lees 31/07/2019 at 8:15 am

Hi could you help me to write a complaint letter to the council? My 2 year old daughter was at the park and the gate to the park which is steel ruffle 25kgs or so fell on her injuring her face and leg we had to call an ambulance cause she was in and out of consciousness. The hospital said she’s a very lucky girl to only have scratches and bruises and that it could have been way worse.

MIkar 10/05/2019 at 12:48 pm

Can you help me with a complaint of how to write a letter to council and discuss the poor outdoor play area?.Thankyou

Ayesha 25/04/2019 at 4:14 pm

II don’t know how to write a letter to council that i want a garden hose outdoor
Plz help me

Mabure 15/01/2019 at 3:53 pm

Please help me i would love to draft a letter to my ward councillor
to please do right to his community, no toilet, kiddies play ground, houses
nothing he has done for the community.

K 19/08/2018 at 2:26 am

Good evening,

I wonder if you can help please?

I moved into my property in 2012 at the time my son was in secondary school. I sent evidence to council tax when he went to college and subsequently when my son when to university to show he was a full time student in order that I could receive 25% single person discount. My son lived at home whilst in college but when to university in Leeds, some 200 odd miles away from home.

Couple of years ago I fell in to arrears with council tax mainly due to illness. I eventually had to stop working and applied for benefits including help with council tax in the process of which I have found out that I only ever received a single person reduction for council tax in the year 2012 - 2013. Council tax claim they were not aware that my son was away at university and deny having received the official letter provided by University of Leeds confirming my son's status as a student which I sent to them. Whilst I still have the original letter from the university, it has been a few year now. My son finished university last year, he lived in the halls in his first year but in fact had to apply for student exemption from council tax in both his second and third year when he rented privately.

My question is how do I write to council tax to review. I informed them my son was staying on in education when he turned 18, why would they have only applied the discount for one year and not the following years. Effectively, If the 25% discount was applied, I would not have the amount of arrears I have.

Do you have a template which I can adapt to send to the council regarding this matter please? Any assistance would be appreciated and thanks for your time either way.

Many thanks,

Kat

Nakamwe 02/08/2018 at 3:03 pm

Please help me write the letter to my council urging them to build a playground for children
Thank you

JM 03/07/2018 at 5:31 pm

I live in Newham Council on a three bedroom council flat. Me and my wife have been bidding for house in the last 10 year. The council has given us priority in a five to six bedroom house since we are all ten the eldest of my children being 20 year while the youngest being 2 years. But unfortunately there has been none in the last three years dispite bidding all these years. We've requested the council to consider for a four bedroom but they still insist that we must bid for a five bedroom house that are none-existing. We have requested them to assist us in getting these property from private landlords but they are reluactant since they do not want to pay for large deposits. The condition has completely affected my children accademically and healthwise while we are left with lots of stress. There is no enough room to manouver especially my children. The only place I feel relaxed is when am at work and when we are all outside these property. I have raised this matter a numer of time to our MP and Councillor but they have done nothing since they all belong to the same party. We are so distressfuly and feel we have been abandoned by the council. What affects us most is the fact that I have lived in the borough for more than a quarter century and it just seems we have to be know known to get proper housing and not as our right. Am sure if this situation was with the private landlord they would have been taken to court by the same council for the council feel immuned from prosecution. I request to be adviced on what to do.

Bd 14/06/2018 at 12:10 am

I don't no how to write letter to complain about pavement broken

Avan 05/06/2018 at 3:46 pm

Hi,to all colleagues,please help me .how to write complaint letter about anew supermarket opening on a site of a playground.

LetterExpert Editor 11/05/2018 at 3:42 pm

We do hope the templates on this website help you with your problem.

Jo 10/05/2018 at 4:35 pm

I don't know how to write complain letter

emmailwhite 22/04/2018 at 1:01 pm

Hi, please someone should help me write a sample letter to my local government council to come help fix a terrible drinage pit beside my house which is about to swallow some buildings in my vicinity.

Twathy 20/04/2018 at 3:16 pm

Hi. To all colleagues.
Please help me, how to write a letter to the town cancil CEO to remove the public tap water on my plot.

LetterExpert Editor 09/04/2018 at 9:48 am

Sorry but we cannot write individual letters for our readers but suggest you use the above letter example and substitute your own information as you have done in your comment. Make sure you give specific examples and locations of where some of the incidents have occurred to help the council investigate.

Mares48 06/04/2018 at 9:25 am

Hi,

I would appreciate any help in writing to my local town council regarding the unsafe state of paving in and around our town. Also the fact that the town and surrounding areas are in disrepair.
Every time I go out in my wheelchair I'm running the risk of being catapulted from it. This happens every time I venture out with yesterdays trip ending with 4 close calls. The very fact my backside left my chair!! thankfully my partner was quick to act and avoided me planting the pavement.

Just from yesterdays incidents I have pulled my back more and have a swollen right knee. If the worse does happened I will be claiming some form of compensation

I am starting to dread leaving my home and will soon become a recluse.

Please help write me a strong prominent letter.

Many thanks

emi 28/03/2018 at 10:55 am

Please help! I don't know where to start! I would like to write a complaint letter to my local city counsel about the power cut in my area at night time.

rose 18/01/2018 at 7:42 am

Write a formal letter to your local council telling them about the dog and asking them to do something about it for you.

Ace 20/10/2017 at 5:50 pm

I just wanted to find out the beat way to make a complaint in regards to council tax?

El 08/10/2017 at 6:56 am

need a letter to write to the council, they are building a emergency water tank in a park where i live and it will close the park for building for 2 years and then it will take up a lot of the park, its a big dog walking place. And if there is a earthquake the tank might get damaged and break and then we will have no water for the emergency. so should not we have multiple smaller tanks all around the city instead of just one big one?? help.

Ola's Mic 20/09/2017 at 6:22 pm

please help me i was asked to write a letter to my council manager in my area telling him the difficulties i faced during my national deploma programme, imploying him to assist me in three ways to alleviate the surffering.

Advice75 16/05/2017 at 10:36 am

Shaz, go to your local Citizens Advice and ask about debt advice.

shaz 08/02/2017 at 11:26 am

please can you help me write off my business rates. I had little bag stall in a shoping mall in 2015. I was not aware about business rates even shoping centre management did not inform me when I hired that stall. after six month of small business i closed business because business was not good.
now Feb 2017 (over a year later) I received a bill of nearly £5000 with very high rates.
If I was aware of the charges beforehand I would have ceased trading earlier.

reffy 27/11/2014 at 11:38 pm

please help me to write the letter to a council to help me my neighbour barking dog not reply my note to sent to them on last months and I write this note to a council to help me to solve the problem about the my neighbour barking dog

kris 29/01/2014 at 10:36 pm

hello i have sent a letter to the council on behalf of my auntie she has just recovered from cancer 3 years ago and for the last 3 years she has had a problem in her room gaping hole in the roof and the cast iron pipe has a gaping hole in has well so room stinks and is very cold i sent a letter with notice at the top asking for compensation has she has report this a few times CAN SHE GET IN TROUBLE FOR THIS LETTER just worried because like i said i sent it as a notice and asked for 2 months rent free the work to be fixed to a health and safety standard and compensated for for heating as its on full all the time and for her health and to re decorate her room would love someone to put my mind at rest thank you for taking you time to read this

cece 08/11/2013 at 4:31 pm

Hello.
I am living in a small building were there is only 21 tenants.
The association we are renting our flats does not let us the right to park, based on free parking policies!!!!!!!1
We are at a point of making an official petition, but the problem is: I would like to write a proper letter.
I need some help.
Thanks

shadow 20/03/2013 at 3:19 pm

i called to put a claim in for my window,that was in december 19 wednesday of 2012,and again i spoke with an agent on janurary 8th,2013 never got back with me,and its hard for me because i dont have long distance it was a woman i spoke with it was a crack on my front windshied,please answer me back

Bc 19/03/2013 at 4:51 pm

Please help! I don't know where to start! I would like to write a complaint letter to my local city counsel. Drainage backed up into my basement. I contacted the city sewer and they said it was my problem because it was on my property. I had a plumber escavate and the drain pipes were replaced for a total of $4,300.00! My work was completed but still drains into my basement, this tells me that the problem is on the city side. Yet anytime I visit their offices, everyone there has a nasty attitude.

I want to write a professional letter. My letter will not be professional if I write what I am thinking and feel.

chrystal0121 11/03/2013 at 10:54 am

please could you help , i would like make a complaint about the needs of vulnerable people being exploited through the new government benefit procedures but don't no who to complain to.

Shortstuff 07/03/2013 at 12:48 am

Housing complaint, Westminster council have made my life and pregnancy hell I'm 28 weeks and due in two months if my polycystic ovaries and endemetrosis conditions do not bring on a early birth, they have placed me in a b&b temp that is outside central London and a 20min walk to a station I used to live in central London and all my friends doctors and hospital is miles away I have filled a medical report and wrote to complain try lost my paperwork twice no one gets back to you and on top my case worker has taken some disliking to me told me he will take my ADR on when he feels like it and that even if he does my application i will be waiting in my b and b for ages I have been Ill in hospital and stressed through this whole pregnancy and feel my life is totally hopeless I work done my degree and tried to do the best in my life and feel that in need in this time of my life at 27 my government and country has let me down. I have no idea what to do I am miles away isolated and scared to go into labour being so far away from my hospital but yet noone will help me in Westminster council, please if anyone can offer me some advice it would give me some hope thanks in advance

chooty 24/01/2013 at 2:29 pm

pls help me to write for a mp about views of raising the school leaving age to 18.

Tony 01/01/2013 at 7:55 pm

I would like report elligal overcrowded house at 12 shirland st Macgregor.
Elligal renovation , too many elligal height (2.1m ceiling)
Elligal extra toilets, unapproved carport

tom 21/11/2012 at 3:17 pm

Please,would you be so kind and help me writte the letter to my Council about horrible state of my windows,during the bad weather there is gaps between window seals where cold air from outside coming inside the room making imposible to heat the room and whistling noise is making unbeareble to sleep.I have allready complained but they have ignored me so I want take my complaint to the higher level.

Kind regards
T.Harms

Awaness 23/10/2012 at 5:12 pm

Can us help me how can I write formal letter of complian to council.Also how can I write a letter to the soliciter for buying a house . Many thanks ,,,,,,,

Tim 26/09/2012 at 1:47 pm

How to write a letter to your local government chairman stating the social economic problem you have observed and suggest solutions.

Eileen 13/09/2012 at 7:07 pm

hello I wondered if you could help please? my self and my neighbours would like to write to our council wo complain about some trees which are at the rer of our houses, they should be cut back but are not and are causing problems, the people on the othere side of the trees keep objecting to anything being done, so it seems to have become political. we cannot get acess to paint or maitain our fences, which is causing problems, we want write someting that we can all sign but dont know where tostart or what to say. Thankyou Eileen

Kami 17/04/2012 at 8:36 pm

very helpful with my homework but needs to she the persons adresses

ooooo 21/01/2012 at 3:11 pm

the pavement of worcester park road are in very bad condition, it need attention as it was never resurface for over 40 years also at the end of council houses near Kingston road - 11 garages are in bad state as at the end of last garage there are load of rubbish laying about for ages. The old leaves falling on pavement never swept since last November.

gg 17/09/2011 at 6:42 pm

how to write aletter of complain about ( your road is in horrible state ask council to repair it

amzah 03/06/2011 at 10:14 pm

my landlord has put all council tax on my name but there were more tenet who share the same proprty

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