Claims and complaints

Note the pronunciation of the following words:

occur v, cause v, n, warehouse clerk, consignment n, dispatch v, infringe v, dissatisfied party, frequently adv, inferior quality n, unreasonable amount n.

Read the text and translate it into Russian:

Mistakes may occur in day-to-day business, and these give cause for complaint.

There might have been a misunderstanding about the goods to be supplied;

perhaps a warehouse clerk made an error in addressing the parcel; sometimes a consignment is dispatched too late or delays are caused in transit; damage may have occurred during delivery; a manufacturing defect is discovered when a machine is used. It may happen in business that certain terms and conditions of the Contract are infringed by the Sellers or by the Buyers and then the dissatisfied party makes a claim on the other party. The Buyers most frequently make claims because of late delivery, delivery of wrong or damaged goods, or goods of inferior quality, short-shipment/ delivery of the goods, etc. The Sellers in their turn can make a claim on the Buyers because of unreasonable amounts claimed from them and also when the Buyers fail to open a L/C in time or place a vessel under loading, etc.

Notice the basic principles of writing a letter of complaint:

Be polite and tactful.

State clearly and factually what is wrong.

Support your claim with documents.

Imply that your claim will be met as a matter of course.

Summarise your claim. State clearly what you expect.

Decide on the emphasis you want to give.

Do you want to appear threatening, pleading, reasoning or reproaching?

Your first letter of complaint should sound calm and reasonable. You will get better and quicker service than if you demand, threaten (угрожать) or accuse (o6bинять).

Vocabulary notes

complaint n жалоба

complaint about smth жалоба на что-либо

complain v жаловаться на что-либо

claim n претензия

reasonable claim обоснованная претензия

syn. justified claim

unreasonable claim необоснованная претензия

syn. unjustified claim

make a claim предъявить претензию

syn. produce a claim

e.g. Brown & Co. made a claim because of delay in delivery.

make a claim on (against) smb for smth предъявить претензию кому-либо

e.g. The buyers made a claim on the sellers for $ предъявить претензию на какую-либо сумму

Remember:

We make a claim on Messrs. Green & Co. in connection with (because of, owing to) late delivery.

(в связи с каким-либо нарушением контракта)

We make a claim on Messrs. Green & Co. for $ ...

(на какую-либо сумму)

settle a claim урегулировать претензию

claim v требовать (уплаты) денег,

денежной компенсации

claim a compensation

money

damages

an insurance, etc.

claim smth from smb требовать чего-либо от кого-либо

e.g. The buyers claimed the amount of the insurance from the Insurance Company.

error n ошибка

make an error делать ошибку

infringe v нарушать контракт

syn. break

violate

party n участник договора

dissatisfied party n неудовлетворенная сторона

frequently adv часто

inferior adj низкое (качество)

e.g. goods of inferior quality товары низкого качества

ant. goods of superior quality товары высокого качества

short-shipment n недостача (при погрузке)

short-delivery n недостача (при выгрузке)

Here are some examples of letters of complaint and claims. Read them and translate into Russian.