How to File a Notice of Dispute With a Company (Before Arbitration)

• The clause is the gatekeeper: An arbitration clause can require a mailed notice before you can arbitrate or sue.
• Read the company's terms, not a template: The exact address, contents, and waiting period are spelled out in their agreement.
• Be specific about what you want: Vague notices get ignored. Name the amount or the action.
• The clock starts on receipt: The 30-to-60-day window usually begins when they get your notice, not when you sent it.
• Keep a dated copy: Your proof is the copy of what you sent plus a mailing confirmation showing the date and who it went to.
• This is general info: For a high-value dispute, talk to a lawyer before you file anything.

You got banned, double-charged, or your account vanished with money still in it. You opened ten support tickets. You got a chatbot, a canned reply, and silence. Then somewhere in the user agreement you clicked through years ago, there it is: before you can do anything official, you have to mail them a Notice of Dispute and wait.

Annoying. Also real.

When you sign up for a game, a phone plan, a bank account, a streaming service, or a crypto exchange, you almost always agree to an arbitration clause. It pushes disputes out of the courts and into private arbitration, and most of these clauses add a step in front of even that: an informal resolution period. You send written notice, then both sides are supposed to try to work it out for a set number of days before anyone can escalate.

The waiting window is typically 30 to 60 days. Epic Games, for example, requires a good-faith effort to resolve any dispute for at least 30 days from the day a written Notice of Dispute is received, and says you cannot proceed to arbitration without first sending a compliant notice and going through that period (see common informal dispute resolution clauses). Microsoft gives the parties 60 days to resolve a dispute informally before filing a demand for arbitration.

You will see the same structure with telecom companies, banks, streaming services, crypto platforms, and large retailers. The pattern repeats because companies copy each other's terms. The upside for you: the notice is a hoop, but it is a hoop you can clear yourself, and skipping it can sink your case later. Some clauses let a court reimburse the company for fees if you jump straight to arbitration without sending a proper notice first.

The address is in the company's own terms of service. It is not on the contact page, and a support agent usually cannot give it to you. Go to the source.

Where to look

• Open the company's Terms of Service, Terms of Use, User Agreement, or EULA.
• Use your browser's find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and search for "arbitration", "dispute", "Notice of Dispute", or "informal resolution".
• Scroll to the section usually titled "Dispute Resolution" or "Binding Arbitration."

Inside that section you are looking for three things: the mailing address (often a Legal Department or a registered agent), what the notice must contain, and the length of the informal resolution period.

Read it slowly. The wording matters. Some companies want the notice mailed to a physical legal address. Some let you submit through a form first. A few require a specific delivery method, and if they do, follow whatever method their terms specify. Whatever they ask for, take them literally. A notice that ignores the stated format is a notice they can call non-compliant.

I will not give you a specific company's address here, because terms change and the only address that counts is the one in the current version of that company's agreement. Pull it straight from their terms the day you send.

Most arbitration clauses spell out the required contents. They are almost always the same four things.

1. Your name and contact information. Full legal name, mailing address, email, and phone. If the account is under a slightly different name, say so.
2. Your account details. Username, account number, email on file, order number, member ID, whatever ties you to the account in dispute. Give them enough to find you fast.
3. A clear description of the dispute. What happened, when, and why it is wrong. Dates and dollar amounts. Keep it factual. Skip the rant.
4. The specific relief you want. This is the part people fumble. Say exactly what would resolve it: a refund of a stated amount, your account reinstated, a charge reversed, a service credit. A number is stronger than a feeling.

Check the clause for anything extra. Some require a signature. Some require a description of the nature and basis of the claim in particular language. A few cap how much someone else can submit a notice on your behalf, which matters if you are tempted to use a mass-filing service. Match what the terms ask for.

One page is plenty. Clear beats long.

Here is a template you can adapt. Replace the bracketed parts with your details and the address you pulled from the company's terms.

Keep a copy of exactly this, dated, before it goes in the envelope.

Once the company receives your notice, the informal resolution clock starts. Usually 30 days. Sometimes 60. The terms tell you which.

During that window, both sides are supposed to negotiate in good faith. In practice, you might get a phone call from someone who can actually fix things, an email offering a settlement, or a refund that quietly appears. Sometimes the notice alone gets you to a human with the authority to make the problem go away, which is the whole point.

You might also get nothing.

If the window closes and the dispute is unresolved, you have done what the clause required, and you are clear to take the next step the terms allow. For most clauses that means filing for arbitration, often through a provider named in the agreement. A small number of companies carve out an exception for small claims court. Read the clause again before you escalate so you follow its exact path.

Mark the date the notice was received and count the days. Do not jump the gun. Escalating before the period ends is exactly the kind of misstep companies use to push back.

You need to actually mail this, and you need to be able to prove you did. Those are two separate jobs.

Mailing it. If the company's terms specify a delivery method, follow that method. Otherwise, a clean letter to the legal address in their terms does the job. With PostPal you type or upload the notice at /send, we print it, put it in an envelope, and mail it through Canada Post the next business day for about $6 flat. No printer, no envelope, no trip to the post office.

Keeping proof. Your record is two pieces:

• A dated copy of the notice exactly as you sent it, so you can show what you said and what you asked for.
• A mailing confirmation showing the date it went out and who it was addressed to. After PostPal mails your letter, we email you a dated confirmation with what was sent, to whom, and when. Save it with your copy.

Together those two documents show you sent a compliant notice and when the informal resolution window should have started. Keep them in the same place as any support ticket numbers and screenshots. If this ever goes to arbitration, that little folder is your timeline.

This is general information, not legal advice. Arbitration clauses vary, they get rewritten, and the rules that apply to your situation depend on the specific terms you agreed to and where you live. For a high-value dispute, or any dispute where real money or your rights are on the line, talk to a lawyer before you file. A short consultation can save you from a misstep that closes a door you wanted open.

Do I really have to mail it?

If the company's terms require a mailed Notice of Dispute, then yes, for your notice to count. Skipping the step can let the company argue your arbitration filing is premature, and some clauses let a court make you cover their fees if you jump ahead. Follow whatever the terms say.

Where do I find the address?

In the company's Terms of Service, under the section usually called "Dispute Resolution" or "Arbitration." Search the page for "arbitration" or "Notice of Dispute." Support agents usually cannot give it to you, so go to the terms directly and use the address in the current version.

What if they ignore my notice?

Once the informal resolution window passes with no resolution, you have satisfied the requirement and can move to the next step the terms allow, usually arbitration. Keep your dated copy and mailing confirmation so you can show you sent it and when.

How long do I have to wait after sending it?

Whatever the clause says, commonly 30 to 60 days. The period generally starts when the company receives your notice, not when you mailed it, so note the likely receipt date and count from there.

What should I ask for in the notice?

Be specific. Name a refund amount, ask for your account to be reinstated, or request a charge reversal. A concrete number or action is far more likely to get a real response than "make this right."

Can I just email it instead?

Only if the terms allow email for the Notice of Dispute. Many require a mailed letter to a legal address. When the terms call for mail, mail it, and keep your dated copy and confirmation as your record.

Do I need a lawyer to send one?

No, you can write and send a Notice of Dispute yourself. For a high-value dispute, or one with complications, getting legal advice first is worth it.

The Notice of Dispute is a gate the company built, and the only way through it is to send the thing they asked for. Pull the address from their terms. Write a one-page notice with your details, your account, the problem, and the exact fix you want. Mail it. Keep a dated copy and your mailing confirmation. Then count the days and hold your position until the window closes.

Most of the work is just getting it printed and into the mail without making it a whole afternoon. That part we handle.

Mail your Notice of Dispute with PostPal →

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