EVIDENCE ORGANISATION GUIDE
Complaint evidence checklist: what to collect and how to organise it
A UK complaint evidence checklist covering correspondence, receipts, screenshots, chronology, losses, file labels and privacy-safe organisation.
Reviewed 9 September 2026 · UK guidance
QUICK ANSWER
What should you do next?
Collect only material that helps establish what happened, what was promised, what response you received and what loss or practical effect followed. Keep the originals, number working copies consistently and connect every important event or claim to the evidence that supports it.
Core records
Start with the documents that identify the relationship and the disputed transaction. These usually give the reviewer the essential context before they read later correspondence.
- Contract, order, booking or account record
- Advert, quotation or service description
- Terms supplied at the time
- Invoices, receipts and payment evidence
- Cancellation, return or change confirmation
Communications
Preserve complete email threads and messages where possible. A cropped screenshot may lose the sender, date or surrounding context. Note the date, participants and substance of important calls.
- Original complaint
- Acknowledgements and reference numbers
- Company responses
- Follow-up messages
- Call notes
- Final response or deadlock letter
Evidence of the problem and its effect
Photographs, screenshots and reports should be labelled with what they show and when they were created. If you claim a financial loss, provide a calculation and the record that supports each amount.
- Dated photographs or video
- Screenshots with visible context
- Delivery or tracking records
- Reports or assessments
- Loss calculation
- Receipts for consequential costs
Build an index a stranger can follow
Use a stable reference such as A1, A2 or B1 and do not change it halfway through the complaint. Give every item a short name, date, source, section and one sentence explaining what it supports. Remove exact duplicates.
Redact passwords, PINs, full payment-card numbers and unrelated personal information. Keep an untouched original separately if a redaction is needed.
BEFORE YOU ESCALATE
Complaint pack checklist
- ✓Original files preserved
- ✓Every item has a stable reference
- ✓Dates and sources recorded
- ✓Duplicates removed
- ✓Losses linked to proof
- ✓Sensitive information reviewed
- ✓Final index matches the attachments
Common questions
Should I attach every email?
Not automatically. Include what is needed to show the relevant sequence, promises, disputed points and responses without burying the key evidence.
Can I use screenshots?
Yes, but retain enough context to identify the source and date, and keep the original record where possible.
Does ProofPackAI verify my evidence?
No. You remain responsible for authenticity, accuracy, relevance and your right to use the material.
Official information to check
Processes and time limits can change. Confirm the position for your complaint using the relevant official service: