Contractor Warranty Claim Letter

What this letter does

A warranty is only useful if you ask for it. This letter asks a contractor to come back and fix a problem with their work, in writing, and within the warranty period. It quotes the warranty so there is no argument about what was promised, says when you first noticed the problem, and sets a date for a reply.

The Federal Trade Commission describes a warranty as a promise to stand behind a product and says the details should be in writing. California's contractor board says a contractor's warranty should specify which parts of the work are covered and how long the warranty lasts. So begin by finding the paper: it may be a page in the contract, a separate warranty sheet, or a line on the final invoice.

Workmanship and products are different claims

The contractor's warranty usually covers the labor: how the work was done. A faucet, a shingle, a water heater or a window is a manufactured product, and it usually has its own warranty from its maker. The California guide tells homeowners to ask for written warranties from material and appliance manufacturers, and the Illinois Attorney General says to confirm you hold written warranties covering both materials and workmanship.

The FTC's advice for a product claim is to contact the seller first. If that does not work, write to the manufacturer, whose address the warranty should list, and send the letter by certified mail with a return receipt. It adds that a company may have the right to fix the product before it refunds your money, and that if you report a defect during the warranty period, the company must correct it even if the warranty runs out before the fix. The letter has a selector for this. Choose "yes" when a product may be at fault, enter the brand and model, and the letter asks the contractor how they will handle the claim and for the product's warranty paper.

How to fill it in

Copy the covered work and the length of coverage from your warranty into the terms box. Describe the problem where it is, what you see and when you first noticed it. Be factual and avoid blame. Add photos with dates. Set a reply date that gives the contractor a fair chance to schedule a visit.

Worked example: a leak under a new vanity

A homeowner had a bathroom vanity installed. Some months later he finds a damp cabinet floor and a stain on the wall behind it. His contract includes a workmanship warranty that lists plumbing connections as covered. He copies that sentence into the terms box, describes the stain, adds the date he found it and chooses "yes" for a product, because the supply line may be faulty. He enters the brand from the receipt.

He encloses photos, the contract page and the receipt, mails the letter by certified mail and emails a copy. When the plumber visits, the loose fitting is the cause, so it is a workmanship repair. If the supply line had been defective, he would have the manufacturer's warranty paper in the folder and the receipt that proves when he bought it.

If the contractor does not respond

Send a follow-up with the same facts. Then consider the next steps your state offers: its contractor licensing board, its attorney general's consumer office, small claims court, or an attorney. California's board says it asks whether you formally notified the contractor and wants a copy of your letter, so keep yours. The FTC says to report a company that does not resolve a warranty problem to your state attorney general.

Not legal advice

This letter is a template, not legal advice. Warranty and consumer law differ by state, and a written warranty can have conditions you need to read closely. Nothing you type leaves your browser. See an attorney or your state agency if the cost of the repair is large, if the warranty period is about to end, or if the problem affects safety.

Next steps

If the problem is unfinished or faulty work from the original job, use the notice of incomplete work letter. Next time, collect papers at the final walk-through, and check the warranty terms with the contract checklist before you sign.