Complaint chronology

Keep it neutral

A chronology is the spine of the case, not another complaint letter.

Record the material event, the source that proves it and why it matters. Keep the event description factual. If there is a dispute about what an event means, put that in the significance column rather than rewriting the event itself.

Use one row per material event.
Use exact dates where known; mark estimates clearly.
Give evidence a stable reference such as E1 or CS1.
Leave out routine contacts that do not affect the issues.

Editable template

Copy this into a document or spreadsheet and add as many rows as needed.

How to edit it: replace everything in square brackets with your own details. If a bracketed paragraph does not apply, delete it before sending.

COMPLAINT CHRONOLOGY

Date/time | Event | Who/organisation | Evidence ref | Significance / issue
[dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm] | [what happened, neutrally] | [person/team] | [E1 / email / call] | [why this matters / Issue 1]
[dd/mm/yyyy] | [event] | [person/team] | [E2] | [significance]
[dd/mm/yyyy] | [event] | [person/team] | [E3] | [significance]

Notes on uncertain dates
[Example: “Call took place between [date] and [date]; exact timestamp requested in SAR.”]

Keep factual disputes visible. If two records give different versions of the same event, record both entries and cross-reference the contradiction schedule rather than silently choosing one.

Use it with the complaint

The chronology should save words in the main letter.

Once the sequence is clear, your complaint can focus on the numbered issues and refer back to the chronology rather than retelling the whole history in every section.

Official & related guidance

Check the route that applies to your situation.

Check the linked guidance before sending. Rules, complaint stages and time limits can differ by sector.