Refusal Letters

Need help writing your refusal letter?

Say it right with professional-quality refusal letters. Write with confidence using: Expert help every step of the way Appropriate phrases and sentences Challenging letters made easy

You'll get sample refusal letters for each of these topics:

• Cancel or decline to schedule an appointment
• Decline a job offer, promotion, or transfer
• Decline a request for a claim or adjustment
• Decline a request for credit
• Decline a request for a donation
• Decline a request for employment
• Decline to accept a gift
• Decline to give advice
• Decline orders but offer an alternate or substitute item
• Decline orders or requests for information
• Decline an invitation to an event
• Decline an invitation to join an organization
• Decline an invitation to speak or perform
• Decline to write a letter of recommendation
• Deny an expected or hoped-for promotion or raise
• Reject a bid or proposal
• Reject or terminate a business relationship
• Reply negatively to a suggestion
• Turn down a customer's or employee's suggestion
• Write a refusal

How to write a courteous refusal letter:

• A refusal letter communicates unhappy news in a diplomatic way. It is basically a “bad news letter.” You have one chance to say it right. Be as diplomatic as possible. Don’t let your words come back to haunt you someday.

• Open your refusal letter with a sincere expression of regret as you state exactly what you are refusing and how you received the request.

• Explain your reasons for refusing and any evidence you may have to back up your position.

• Offer alternate sources that your reader could appeal to with a better chance of success as a 'consolation prize.'

• Use courteous language throughout your letter, and end by expressing wishes for the reader's success elsewhere.

• Check your refusal letter carefully for typos or any other mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

• Refer to essential references such as dictionary software, a thesaurus, and an English usage guide, such as The Little, Brown Handbook, published by Scott, Foresman and Company.