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Every parent has been there. Something's happening at school, your child has said something that's been playing on your mind, and you want to say something to the teacher.

But how you write it makes all the difference. A letter that opens a conversation gets a very different response to one that reads like a complaint from the first line, even when both are raising the exact same concern.

I've put together a free practical guide covering five of the most common situations parents write to teachers about: grades and progress, requesting authorised absence, SEN and health needs, bullying, and letting a teacher know something difficult is happening at home. There's a full example letter for each one, including the exact phrasing that tends to get a thoughtful response rather than a defensive one.

If you've been putting off saying something because you didn't know how to start, this might help.

https://www.letterwritingservice.co.uk/post/parent-writing-a-letter-to-teacher-when-why-and-how-to-do-it-properly

Parent Writing a Letter to Teacher: When, Why and How to Do It Properly A practical guide to writing letters to your child’s teacher, with five example letters covering the most common parent concerns and requests.

Your case isn't moving. Your calls aren't being returned. You're paying for it. And you're not sure whether this is just how things work or whether something has actually gone wrong.

Here's what the Legal Ombudsman's own data says about it. In the third quarter of 2025/26, the Ombudsman received 3,496 new complaints, a 37% increase on the same period the year before. A quarter of all complaints in that period came from clients who felt uninformed about the progress of their matter. Of those complaints investigated in depth, 85% were upheld. This isn't a rare experience and it isn't something clients have to accept.

Under the SRA Code of Conduct, solicitors are required to keep clients informed of the progress of their matter, respond to reasonable requests for information in a timely way, and communicate in a way that is clear and understandable. These are conduct rules, not guidelines. A solicitor who consistently fails to communicate is potentially in breach of their professional obligations, and that gives you more leverage than most people realise.

The right first move is usually a chase letter rather than jumping straight to a formal complaint. A professional, specific letter that states when you last received a meaningful update, what you're asking for, a clear five-working-day deadline for response, and a calm reference to what you'll do next if nothing comes back, changes the dynamic entirely. It signals that you understand your rights. Most of the time, that's enough to produce a proper response.

If it isn't, the next step is a formal complaint under the firm's complaints procedure. Every law firm is required to have one. The firm must acknowledge within five working days and provide a final written response within eight weeks. If they don't, or if their response doesn't resolve things, the Legal Ombudsman investigates for free. Given the 85% upheld rate for this type of complaint, if your experience genuinely matches the pattern, your chances of a finding in your favour are strong.

One thing worth knowing about timescales: the Ombudsman's current waiting time from acceptance to investigation is between nine and twelve months. That's a long time. Which is why using the chase letter and formal complaint stages properly, and giving the firm every reasonable opportunity to sort things out, is both the right approach and the faster one.

We've written a free complete guide covering the difference between a chase letter and a formal complaint and when to use each, a full worked example chase letter you can adapt, the SRA obligations your solicitor must meet and how to reference them without sounding threatening, the formal complaint process step by step, the full Legal Ombudsman route including time limits, and the signs that it might be time to transfer your matter to a different firm entirely.

If you're currently in this situation or know someone who is, please share this. Being kept in the dark while you're paying for legal work isn't something you have to just sit with.

https://www.letterwritingservice.co.uk/post/how-to-write-a-letter-chasing-your-solicitor-for-an-update-uk

How to Write a Letter Chasing Your Solicitor for an Update UK How to chase your solicitor for a case update, with a full example letter, the SRA rules they must follow, and how to escalate if they still don’t respond.

Has someone asked you to write a character letter for court and you're not sure what to say or how to say it? Most people in that situation care deeply about helping but have never done it before and don't know what a judge actually needs to see.
Here's the most important thing to understand before you write a word. A character letter that makes a difference isn't the one that says the nicest things. It's the one that gives the court something specific, credible and honest to work with. Judges read hundreds of these letters. They can tell in seconds which ones are genuine and which are hollow, and a hollow letter does more damage than no letter at all.

There are five things that have to be in the letter for it to carry any weight. An introduction that makes clear who you are and how long you've known the defendant. Specific, evidenced examples of their character, not a list of adjectives but actual observations from your own experience of them. An acknowledgement of the offence. If you don't mention it, the court assumes the defendant has hidden it from you, which destroys their credibility. Evidence of genuine remorse if you've seen it. And if the defendant has serious responsibilities, such as being the primary carer for children or an elderly relative, a factual account of that situation so the court understands the full picture.

There are also things you must not do. Don't tell the court what sentence to impose or what not to impose. Don't say you can't believe they did it. Don't copy a template word for word. Courts can tell. And don't make it more than two pages. One page is usually right. The judge will not read a lengthy letter more carefully than a focused one.

Under the Sentencing Council's guidelines, good character is a formal mitigating factor that can reduce a sentence. In borderline cases where the court is weighing a custodial sentence against a community order or suspended sentence, strong character evidence can genuinely change the outcome. But only if the letter is written well.

We've written a free complete guide covering the full structure, what to include in each section, the mistakes that get letters dismissed, a complete worked example you can use as a reference, what happens to the letter at the sentencing hearing, and a checklist to run through before you hand it to the solicitor.

If you've been asked to write a character letter and want to do it in a way that actually helps, please read this first. And if you know someone else in the same situation, please share it with them.

https://www.letterwritingservice.co.uk/post/how-to-write-a-character-letter-for-court-uk-a-complete-guide

How to Write a Character Letter for Court UK: A Complete Guide A complete guide to writing a character letter for court in the UK, with a full example, the mistakes that get letters ignored and a checklist before you submit.

I bet you can't think of two words that sound IDENTICAL but have completely different meanings.

(And no, "their", "there" and "they're" don't count. Too easy.)

Drop your best pair below. The most creative answer wins a FREE letter written by us. Yes, really.

We'll pick our favourite on Friday.

We're a letter writing service, so words are literally our world. Let's see if they're yours too.

This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Facebook. One winner will be chosen at our discretion by Friday 5th June 2026. UK entrants only. Prize: one letter written by LetterLab.

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