Reply in writing today saying the complaint is not resolved and ask for the final response letter or a clear next step to escalate. If nothing is done, the business usually treats the file as closed and stops engaging, which makes delays and repeat chasing more likely. Keep the message short, attach the key timeline, and set a reasonable deadline for a proper outcome. If the business still refuses to reopen it, move to the relevant escalation route for that sector.
What the problem is
A complaint being marked “resolved” without consent is a common UK customer-service failure where a company closes a case on its system even though the customer has not agreed to the outcome. It often shows up after a partial reply, a goodwill offer, or a generic email that says the matter is closed, sometimes with a survey link. It also appears when a complaint has been passed between teams, or when a business has a target to clear older cases from its queue.
This tends to affect everyday UK situations: broadband and mobile disputes, energy billing problems, insurance claims handling, retail delivery issues, and subscription services. It usually happens after the customer has already raised a formal complaint and provided evidence, but before a final response has been issued, or just after a deadline the company set for itself. Many people only notice it when they try to reply and get an automated message, or when a new adviser says the previous case is closed and a new one must be opened.
Why this happens
Most cases come down to internal process and incentives rather than a genuine belief that the issue is fixed. Many UK firms use case-management systems that require a closure code, and staff are measured on how quickly cases are “completed” rather than whether the customer agrees. When a team cannot deliver the requested remedy, a closure can be used to stop the clock, reduce backlog, or move the customer into a different channel such as general customer service rather than complaints.
Another common cause is misclassification: a complaint is treated as a service request, a billing query, or a “feedback” item, so the system closes it once a standard response is sent. Some businesses also treat silence as acceptance, especially where an offer was made with a short expiry. A typical organisational response pattern is that the first follow-up is met with a template message saying the case is closed and the customer should start again.
There is also a practical reason: closing a complaint can limit internal escalation, because many companies only allow a manager review or a “final response” stage while the complaint is open. If the complaint is closed early, the customer is pushed into repeating the story, which increases the chance of fatigue and drop-off.
Your UK position
In UK practice, a complaint is not “resolved” just because a company says it is. The leverage comes from being clear, consistent, and written: stating that the outcome has not been accepted, specifying what would resolve it, and asking for the company’s final position. Businesses tend to respond better when the request is framed as a process point (“please issue your final response so escalation can be considered”) rather than an argument about fairness.
It usually helps to keep the dispute narrow: one or two outcomes, a short timeline, and the minimum evidence needed to show the gap between what was promised and what happened. If the company offered something, it can be accepted “as part settlement only” where appropriate, while still requiring the remaining issue to be addressed, but only if that does not create confusion about acceptance. If the company is regulated, the practical pressure point is that a final response letter is often needed for the next stage, so asking for it can move things along.
When the complaint is about a service that has not been delivered, the strongest practical position is usually to tie the complaint to a clear remedy: completion, re-performance, refund, or compensation for a specific failure. When the complaint is about billing or contract terms, the strongest position is often to require a written breakdown and a correction, rather than debating the entire account history.
Official basis in UK
For most consumer disputes about goods or services, the practical official basis is the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which sets expectations around services being carried out with reasonable care and skill and goods being as described. In day-to-day UK complaints handling, referencing this Act can be enough to prompt a proper final response because it signals that the complaint is about enforceable consumer standards rather than preference. The most effective use is to connect the Act to the remedy being requested (for example, repeating a service properly or refunding a charge that should not have been taken), and to ask the business to confirm its final position in writing so the next escalation route can be used if needed.
GOV.UK guidance supports the practical steps around consumer rights and remedies, which can be cited when asking a company to reopen a complaint that was closed without agreement.
Evidence that matters
The goal is to show two things: that the complaint was raised properly, and that the company closed it without the requested outcome being delivered or agreed. Evidence should be organised so a new handler can understand it in under a minute, because reopened complaints are often picked up by someone who has not read the earlier thread.
Useful items include the complaint reference number, the date the complaint was submitted, and any written promises or deadlines the company gave. Screenshots of “resolved/closed” status can be valuable, especially if the portal later changes. If the dispute involves money, keep statements showing charges, refunds, or missed credits, and keep any contract summary or order confirmation that shows what was agreed.
What not to do is just as important. Do not send a huge email chain without context, and do not forward multiple attachments without naming them clearly. Avoid emotional language that makes it harder for a handler to identify the actual remedy being requested.
Quick checklist
- Complaint reference and dates (submitted, replied, marked closed)
- Screenshot or email showing “resolved/closed” status
- What resolution was requested, in one sentence
- Key proof: contract/order, bills, delivery records, or service logs
Common mistakes
Three common mistakes are accepting a goodwill offer in a way that looks like full settlement, restarting the complaint as a new case and losing the original timeline, and sending long messages that mix several separate issues into one thread.
One thing not to do yet is to start a public social media dispute before the company has been given a clear written chance to issue its final response, because it can distract from getting the paperwork needed for escalation.
Steps to take next
Reopen in writing
Send a short written reply (email or portal message) stating that the complaint is not resolved and that the case was closed without agreement. Ask for either the complaint to be reopened or for a final response letter that sets out the company’s position and any offer. Include the reference number in the subject line and paste a three-line timeline at the top of the message.
Set a deadline
Give a clear deadline for a substantive reply, usually 14 days, and say what will happen next if there is no response (escalation through the firm’s complaints process or the appropriate external route). Keep the deadline realistic; very short deadlines often trigger template replies rather than action.
Pin down the remedy
State the resolution being sought in plain terms: for example, “refund of £X”, “written correction of the bill and removal of late fees”, “completion of the service by a named date”, or “confirmation the contract is ended with no further charges”. If the company made an offer that is acceptable only in part, say so explicitly and separate what is accepted from what remains outstanding.
Use the official process
Where the business has an official complaints route, use that route only and keep everything within the same complaint reference where possible. The complaint form or escalation step is normally found on the company’s “Complaints” page or within the account portal; prepare the reference number, a short timeline, the remedy requested, and the key evidence files before submitting. Do not recreate or copy any official form fields into messages; submit through the company’s own process and keep a copy of what was sent.
Escalate if ignored
If the company does not respond by the deadline, send one final chaser that repeats the request for a final response letter and confirms the date the complaint was first raised. If the business is simply not engaging at all, the next move is to treat it as a complaints-handling failure and follow the approach used for a Company ignoring formal complaint, because the practical aim becomes getting a final position in writing rather than debating the details by phone.
Change strategy
If the company keeps closing the case after each reply, switch to a single, structured message that includes the timeline, the unresolved point, and the request for a final response, and stop adding new issues. If the dispute is mainly about a service that never arrived or was not carried out, focus on the non-delivery and the remedy rather than the complaint status, because that is usually what drives resolution.
Response timing
Most companies reply within a couple of weeks once the request is framed as “reopen or final response”, but delays are common where multiple departments are involved. The issue is usually resolved in UK cases when the business either reopens the complaint and applies the missing remedy, or issues a final response that allows the next escalation route to be used.
Prepare details
- Complaint reference and the date it was first raised
- One-paragraph timeline of what happened
- The exact remedy being requested
- Two or three key attachments named clearly
The normal response timeframe after a clear reopen request is around 14 days, and escalation should happen the day after that deadline passes by sending a final written chaser and then moving to the next stage the company sets out in its complaints process.
Related issues on this site
If the “resolved” status is tied to ongoing charges, a separate approach may be needed where the real issue is a contract continuing without agreement; Subscription renewal without consent can be relevant when the closure coincides with another payment being taken. Where the underlying dispute is that the company never provided what was paid for, the steps in Service not delivered — legal options can be a better fit, especially if the business tries to treat the complaint as a minor service query rather than a failure to supply.
FAQ and quick checks
Closed case email
A closed complaint email with no agreement should be answered by stating the complaint remains open in substance and requesting a final response in writing.
Goodwill offer wording
Goodwill offer settlement wording can be handled by accepting only what is agreed and stating clearly that the rest of the complaint remains unresolved.
Phone call pressure
Phone call to close complaint pressure is best managed by asking for the offer and the closure decision in writing before agreeing to anything.
New reference number
New complaint reference number requests should be resisted by asking the firm to link the new contact to the original complaint and keep the original dates.
Before you move on
Draft a single, calm message that asks for the complaint to be reopened or for a final response letter, then stop adding extra points until that step is complete. Time pressure can show up as being pushed to accept quickly on a call or through an offer that expires fast.
Get help with the next step
Contact UKFixGuide — Share the wording you received when the complaint was marked resolved and the outcome you still need, so the next message can be tightened.
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