1. How the dispute could unfold
Before any detail, learners see the whole route a dispute like this can take. Open each stage to see what happens.
2. Write the complaint, then compare it
The bakery owner needs to write to Kilnmore. Draft the letter, save it as a PDF and upload it. It opens directly above a model answer so you can compare the two, then mark yourself against the checklist.
Your file stays on your device.
Your draft
Model answer
Open the model answer in a new tab, useful on a phone.
0 of 8 criteria met
3. Kilnmore asks for more time
Kilnmore asks for an extra 14 days to respond, because the engineer who inspected the oven is off sick. For each point below, decide which side it helps.
Anticipate the response
Kilnmore says the engineer's illness was sudden and outside its control. If you were advising Crumb & Co, how would you respond?
The illness may well have been sudden, but Kilnmore already had the inspection report before the engineer fell ill. Another engineer could review it, so the delay is not unavoidable. The bakery could also point out that every extra week costs it orders, and ask for a shorter extension if any is granted.
4. What is actually in dispute?
Kilnmore has now replied. Read its reply, then decide whether each question is genuinely in dispute or already agreed.
"We accept that we sold and installed the K40 oven, and that it has cut out on several occasions. In our view the fault was caused by your staff loading trays beyond the oven's rated capacity. We do not accept responsibility for any lost orders." Kilnmore Ovens Ltd
Three of the six questions are already agreed. Of the three that remain, what caused the fault is a technical question that neither side can settle on its own word. That is where an independent engineer's evidence would help.
5. An offer arrives
Kilnmore offers to repair the oven free of charge, but will not pay anything towards the lost orders. Before replying, what should the bakery owner weigh up?
Your response stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.
Tutor notes
- Will a repair actually fix it? The fault has already come back once after an inspection. A replacement may be the more realistic thing to ask for.
- How strong is the evidence of lost orders? Order records, cancelled invoices and customer messages turn a general complaint into a figure that can be checked.
- Is the rest worth pursuing? Weigh the time, cost and stress of continuing against the amount at stake.
- Accepting part of an offer. The owner can accept the repair while making clear in writing that the claim for lost orders is not being dropped.