An unfinished service step should be described by naming the step, stating what has already been done, identifying what remains unresolved, and recording the next expected update or stage. A written complaint should include the actions already taken to address the problem and key dates, including when the service was bought and when the issue arose.
If the service is part of an application process, the description should also state whether a clear plan for updates and expected stages has been provided.
How to check the description
A factual description can follow this structure:
“[Service step] remains unfinished. The action already taken was [action], on [date]. The service was bought on [date], and the issue arose on [date]. The outstanding item is [item]. The next stage or update is expected at [date or point], although this has not been confirmed.”
Before sending it, the reader should check that:
- Completed actions are not presented as unresolved, and unresolved actions are not described as complete.
- Dates come from records or confirmed correspondence rather than estimates.
- Any expected update, deadline, or next stage is identified as confirmed or unconfirmed.
- The description states the known problem without guessing why it occurred or predicting its outcome.
If no update schedule has been provided, the description can say so directly. It should not imply that a deadline or next stage exists merely because the process is still underway.
What the reader must still confirm
The reader must verify the exact status of the step, the actions already taken, and all relevant dates against their own records and written communications. The ACCC’s guidance specifically says that a written complaint should identify actions already taken to fix a problem and include key dates.
Study Australia’s guidance says that a service should have a clear plan for updates and set out what can be expected at each stage of an application process. The reader should therefore check whether such a plan was actually provided in the relevant case. Its absence can be stated as a fact, but it does not by itself establish why the step is unfinished or who is responsible.
No waiting period or completion deadline should be added unless it has been confirmed. Likewise, terms such as “approved,” “rejected,” “completed,” or “delayed” should be used only when the available information supports them.