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Demand Letter Template
What Is a Demand Letter?
A Demand Letter is a written statement prepared by one individual or company and sent to the other to resolve an issue - a failure to pay, compensate for physical and moral damage, or follow the rules or provisions set for the breaching party. If you believe your counterpart is wrong and you want to give them one last chance to settle their debt and deal with the existing problem, you should consider composing a brief message reminding the recipient about their responsibilities.
Download a printable Demand Letter template through the link below.
Alternate Names:
- Letter of Demand;
- Demand Letter for Payment.
You can describe the issue you are struggling with, list the ways for the letter reader to handle the problem, warn them about legal proceedings they may find themselves in if they ignore your demand, and add your contact details to let the other party reach out to you and discuss the issue if necessary.
How to Write a Demand Letter?
Here are some tips for writing a Demand Letter to resolve a dispute:
- Identify yourself and outline the issue. You need to indicate all the facts and dates to remind the other party when and how they violated your rights. For example, a Demand Letter for robocalls should contain a list of all the dates and times when the telemarketers bothered you with their spam.
- Ask the other party to stop their unlawful actions or to pay you your money back. If you are asking for payments, do not settle - include all the losses you have actually suffered, add fines and penalties if your contract with the breaching party establishes this sanction.
- Set a deadline. If your issue is urgent, you can ask the other party to reply and preferably stop their violation within several days. For instance, if you compose a Personal Injury Demand Letter and seek a settlement for injuries you have received as a result of a car accident, you might need money at the earliest possible date - in this case, attach copies of medical documents that prove you need to resolve the problem right away. However, in most cases, you can request an answer within several weeks.
- Be polite and professional. This is especially important if you or the other party is a business - do not damage your future professional relationship in case the matter is dealt with within a day or one of you made a negligent mistake that led to the misunderstanding.
- Send the letter via certified mail to get a return receipt. Make a copy of the letter before you send it. Keep all the correspondence between you and the letter recipient - it will be invaluable if you cannot resolve the matter peacefully and will have to go to court.
How to Respond to a Demand Letter?
There are different ways to approach a Demand Letter you have received:
- Admit you are in the wrong and agree to the demands in the document - usually, you need to pay the money back. Only choose this option if you have fully assessed the validity of the claims and have determined this is the best way to handle the issue.
- Deny you owe any money and explain why you think that way. If you have any documents that prove you are right, attach their copies to reject the wrongful allegations.
- Ask for more time and information. If you are not sure whether you broke any law or agreement, it is better to wait, gather evidence, and give a clear response later.
- Add your contact information and offer the other party to stay in touch. This will be a gesture of good faith and will show your urge to resolve the problem, especially if later you will have to go to court.
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