Dry cleaning – complaint about damaged or lost garment | Word/PDF/Excel

Has the dry cleaner damaged or lost your garment? With this document package, you as a consumer can make a complaint about damaged clothes, request an investigation when a dropped-off garment is missing, and document claims for re-cleaning, a refund of the service fee, or compensation for proven damage. The package includes five Swedish complaint letters, two guides, and an Excel-based case and valuation register.

Short answer: Keep the drop-off receipt and laundry tag, describe the garment's condition when you dropped it off, and document the change with photos. Contact the dry cleaner in writing. The Consumer Services Act applies to dry cleaning, but there is a difference between an actual fault in the cleaning and an old stain that could not be removed despite professional treatment.

Which complaint letter should you use?

Example 1 – damaged coat: The coat has shrunk or become discolored during dry cleaning. Choose document 01 and describe what you can actually show regarding its condition before and after.

Example 2 – the garment is missing: You dropped off a jacket and have a drop-off receipt, but the dry cleaner cannot return it. Choose document 02 for an investigation and a factual, value-supported claim.

Example 3 – poor cleaning result: New stains have appeared, or the service may have been performed incorrectly. Choose document 03 to request an investigation and possible re-cleaning. An older stain that did not come out does not automatically entitle you to compensation if the cleaning was performed professionally.

Example 4 – the company has responded: Once the fault is documented, document 04 can help you keep the refund for the dry cleaning itself and separate compensation for the damage to the garment separate. Document 05 is used for following up on a previous complaint.

Complete File List

The Excel tool – nine tabs and verifiable formulas

START · Garment · Drop-offs · Deviations · Evidence · Complaints · Compensation · Contacts · Overview. Register a separate Garment ID and link the dry cleaner's receipt and evidence references to the same ID. Calculation columns can show the calendar day difference between the promised and actual return or between a complaint and an actual response. These values are not legal deadlines or due dates.

In the Compensation tab, the requested refund of the service fee, the requested garment value, and other proven costs are kept separate. The requested amount, the actually approved amount, and the paid amount are three different pieces of information. An arithmetic difference of, for example, SEK 720 does not mean that the dry cleaner owes the amount. The customer file contains no example cases and contains no macros.

How to use the package – six steps

1. Identify the garment, material, approximate age, laundry tag, and condition before drop-off.
2. Collect the drop-off receipt, proof of payment, and any photos, text messages, or emails.
3. Document exactly what happened and when you noticed the fault or were told that the garment was missing.
4. Choose the right letter and fill in the brackets with verifiable facts. The instruction page should not be sent as a completed complaint.
5. Send it via the dry cleaner's designated contact method and save a copy and proof of receipt.
6. Follow up on actual responses, possible re-cleaning, approved compensation amounts, and payments in Excel.

Rights under Swedish consumer law

Consumer Services Act (1985:716) applies to services involving work on movable items, which includes dry cleaning (Section 1). The work must be performed professionally (Section 4). If the service is defective, under the conditions specified by the Act, this may give rise to rectification, a price reduction, a refund, retention of part of the payment, and in some cases damages (including Sections 9 and 16–22, as well as 31–32).

A complaint must be made within a reasonable time after you noticed or should have noticed the fault. A complaint made within two months of when the fault was noticed is always considered to have been made in time. For services on movable items, the ultimate deadline according to Section 17 is, as a general rule, three years after the completion of the assignment; special exceptions may apply. This template does not automatically calculate the complaint deadline.

The Swedish Consumer Agency states that when a dry cleaner loses a garment, the consumer can claim compensation for the garment's value or a comparable garment. In the event of damage, a refund of the cleaning fee and compensation for the damage may also be claimed. However, an old purchase price is not automatically the garment's value at the time of damage. Age, condition of use, and possible comparable alternatives may need to be documented.

If the cause is incorrect or incomplete laundry information, the claim may instead or also need to be directed at the seller of the garment. The five complaint letters in this product are intended for contact with the dry cleaner, not as a completed consumer-law complaint against the clothing store.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do I do if the dry cleaner has lost my jacket?

Contact the dry cleaner in writing, provide the drop-off receipt, and describe the garment. Request an investigation and, if it cannot be found, an assessment of compensation for the actual value or a comparable garment.

Can I claim the purchase price for a garment that is several years old?

Not automatically. The purchase receipt can confirm details about the garment, but an actual compensation assessment may need to consider its condition, age, and value at the time of loss or damage.

Am I entitled to money if the dry cleaner could not remove a stain?

Not if it is an older stain and the work was performed professionally. However, for new stains or incorrectly performed services, you can request an investigation and possible rectification.

How long can I wait to make a complaint?

Contact the company within a reasonable time after discovery. Within two months is always in time according to Section 17 of the Consumer Services Act. For this type of service, the general rule is a maximum of three years after the completion of the assignment, with special exceptions.

Can Excel calculate the correct damages?

No. Excel only records actual dates and your own requested, approved, or paid amounts. An amount in the register does not determine liability or the right to compensation.

Are the PDF files fillable?

The PDF versions are searchable and printable but are not interactive forms. Use the Word files for text editing.

Are English complaint letters included?

No. Five letters and a Swedish guide are in Swedish. A separate English User Guide describes how the Swedish documents are used.

Can I use the package for disputes with tailors?

This package is specifically for the dry cleaning of garments. For sewing, alterations, or repairs of clothing, other information and letter templates may be needed.

Related Document Templates

For a general consumer complaint that does not solely concern dry cleaning, there is Complaint Letter for Goods and Services. For a broader inventory of damaged movable property, for example for an insurance claim, there is Damage Inventory for Movable Property. These are complementary products; the dry cleaning package focuses specifically on drop-off receipts, the garment's condition, laundry information, and the dry cleaner's liability.

Legal Sources and Transparent Review Status

Swedish Parliament – Consumer Services Act (1985:716) · Swedish Consumer Agency – Problems with Dry Cleaning · Swedish Consumer Agency – Laundry Information in Clothing · National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN).

Document version 1.0 · Sweden · AI-assisted source review 2026-11-07. No external independent legal review or official certification has been performed. Check current law, applicable contract terms, and individual facts. The digital ZIP file is delivered only after possible separate publication and Digital Products file linking.