The main purpose of writing a letter of dispute is to make known a concern that you may have about a specific matter. Disagreement letters can be used to correct possible factual errors and misunderstanding to resolve a problem. In order for a disagreement letter to be effective, you should clearly state the problem or concern and explain what you want your reader to do to resolve it.

If you are writing a disagreement letter, like a response to a false accusation from a government agency; you should state the issue or concern clearly, give an explanation of why you didn’t agree, and then make recommendations or plan of action. You should strive to arrive at a resolution when you are composing your response. Avoid making threats.

The general intention of this letter is to resolve a particular issue or problem, and not just to disagree. It is wise to keep your cool and be professional. Maintain courtesy and be respectful. Keep in mind that most errors are unintentional so be patient and stick to the facts. Always remember to be clear, direct to the point and concise. Address your letter to a specific government person, not to the organization as a whole. Do not generalize.

Find below a sample of a disagreement letter:

SAMPLE LETTER

June 11, 2010

Stanley Johnson
123 Anyplace Lane
Austin, TX 78751

Mike Smith
County Tax Officer
Travis County Tax Office
Airport Boulevard
Austin, TX 78751-1410

Dear Mr. Mike Smith,

My name is Stanley Johnson and my Tax ID is 123-45-6789. I just received the county tax letter from your office, and I was surprised to see that I have been taxed based on my house being worth $400,000. I believe there was a mistake in the computation. Just a couple of months ago, I had my house revalued because I was hoping to apply for a second mortgage. During that time the house was just valued at $250,000, and I cannot believe that the value of the house increased by a whopping $150,000 in a matter of two months.

I have enclosed copies of the recent mortgage valuation of the house and I have added some other valuations of the houses on our street. I would like to ask your good office to have your records amended and send me another county tax letter based on the correct value of my property. If you will need additional supporting documents or any other information, please inform me the soonest possible time.

Thank you for your time.

Respectfully yours,

_______________
Stanley Johnson

Mistakes will be made and occasionally you will be overcharged by your utility company or landlord. If this happens, formalize your request for correction of the error by writing a letter disputing the error. This would ensure that there is a record of your request, so that if no action is taken, you can later use the letter as evidence in any civil action you might have to take.

To be effective, the letter should be addressed to the specific person who can address your problem rather than to the company in general. It should begin with the writer identifying him/herself and giving any relevant identifying information such as their billing address and subscriber number.

The body of the letter should describe where the error lies and what correction you would like the company to make, or what action you want taken. If there are any documents to support your claim, you should also mention them in the letter and include copies as an enclosure.

The tone should be civil and non-confrontational, keeping the stress on the problem that you want to be corrected. Avoid accusatory statements.

Here is a sample of a letter disagreeing with a bill that you can adapt for your own uses.

SAMPLE LETTER

February 21, 2010

Jake Jones
345 3rd Avenue
Irvine, Illinois

Chris Conroy
Division Head
Billing Department
Illinois Electric Utility
25 North St.
Irvine, Illinois

Dear Mr. Conroy,

I am Jake Jones, residing at 345 3rd Avenue with subscriber no. 789-654-222. I am writing to discuss the bill I received from your company, dated February 20, in which I am charged $5,498.25 for the period February 15 to March 14.

I believe that I have been overcharged by the amount of $525.86, based on my consumption for the period. To support my claims, I am enclosing copies of my billings for the past six months, showing that my average consumption is less than what was reflected in the current bill.

In light of the above, I would like to request for an adjustment in my current billing, to be reflected in the following month’s bill. If there is anything you need clarified, you may reach me at my daytime contact number, 050-999-5621.

Thank you for your kind attention on this matter.

Jake Jones

There are times when we are not being given the fair amount of benefits we are entitled to. When this happens, we should formalize our complaint by writing a letter disputing the benefits and asking for a correction. Writing a letter would also help us if we ever have to dispute the benefits in more formal legal proceedings.

This letter can begin with the writer identifying himself and providing any relevant identifying information such as their social security number. They will then describe the benefit whose amount they would like to dispute and the reasons why they believe what they are being given is incorrect. If there are any supporting documents that would help settle the matter, they should also be mentioned in the letter and copies enclosed along with it.

Finally, they can end by setting a date for a follow-up on the matter. They can also give their contact number so that the person they are writing can reach them if they want to clarify certain matters. The tone of the letter should be professional and straightforward, without being angry or accusatory.

Below is a sample of a disagreement letter disputing the amount of benefits being given that you can adapt to your particular use.

SAMPLE LETTER

June 23, 2010

John Purcell
23 Richter Drive
Maxwell, Texas

James London
Claims Department
Social Security Authority
55 Privet St.
Maxwell, Texas

Dear Mr. London,

I am John Purcell with social security number 000-456-080. I am writing this letter in regard to the amount of pension benefits I am receiving from Social Security. I recently received a check from your office in the amount of $16,457.65, a photocopy of which I am enclosing with my letter.

I believe that your office is mistaken and the monthly pension I should be receiving is $20,386 based on the amount of my contributions that I have faithfully paid for over twenty years. To support my claims, I am also enclosing my contribution records from 1978 to 2010.

In line with this, may I schedule a follow-up call or meeting with you to discuss my situation? I can get in touch with you on June 25 at 10 a.m. If you have any questions, you can also reach me at 090-245-6666.

Thank you for your kind attention on this matter.

Respectfully yours,
John Purcell