How to Write a Refusal-to-Pay Letter

A refusal-to-pay letter should be written in the same format as a business letter. This letter should be typed and written as professionally as possible. When writing a refusal-to-pay letter, focus on the facts and explain what you want the recipient to do about your situation. Be as polite as possible because either the recipient or a judge in a court of law will decide what to do about the outstanding debt you've accrued.

Instructions

1

Type your return address in the top right corner of the page. This should be about 3 inches from the top of the page. Don't include your name, just your full mailing address.

2

Add the recipient's full name, title, company name and address below your return address. This should be on the left side of the page a paragraph return below your address. Use the company's address for billing or credit reporting issues. Don't mail the letter to the same address where bill payments are sent. If you don't have an address, mail the letter to the address for general correspondence.

3

Date the letter. Add a paragraph return after the recipient's information. Spell out the month only. Follow that with the date and then the year. Separate the date and year with a comma.

4

Type "RE:" followed by your account name and number under the date. There should be a paragraph return between the date and account information. This should be clearly visible so the recipient can access your account information prior to reading your letter.

5

Greet the recipient formally. Start the letter with "Dear" followed by the person's name. Use titles like "Miss.," "Ms." or "Mr." Avoid using "Mrs." for female recipients as this title is reserved for married women only. You don't want to offend the recipient if she's not married by using the wrong title. If you don't know the person's name, a generic "Dear Sir or Madam" is appropriate.

6

Explain the reason for the letter in the first paragraph. Tell the recipient you are refusing to pay and explain why. If you can, clearly explain how this debt is affecting you and your personal life. Some examples may be loss of income, illness or too much debt.

7

Add additional details to the letter in the second paragraph. Avoid arguing with the recipient and don't threaten to sue or hire an attorney. According to the Consumer Law Office of Robert Stempler, you should leave your options open. The person reading the letter may not be the person who upset you. A judge in a court of law may end up reading the letter so remember to be respectful at all times.

8

Include any additional documentation like billing statements, letters from the company or receipts. If you include any enclosures, explain in your letter what you are enclosing and why.

9

Ask the recipient to do something in the last paragraph. You may ask them to erase the debt, lower your payments or give you more time to pay.

10

Thank the recipient for his time. This should be the last line of the letter.

11

Close the letter by writing "Yours Truly," "Sincerely" or "Regards" followed by your full name. Add a few lines after the closing and your name. This space is for your signature.