QCAT Letter of Demand Template: What to Include Before Filing in Queensland

A contractor owes you $8,000 and isn't returning your calls. Before you spend $164.30 on a QCAT filing fee, you need to send a formal letter of demand — and it needs to be done right, because the letter itself becomes evidence if the matter goes to a hearing.

Why the Letter of Demand Matters

A letter of demand isn't technically mandatory under the QCAT Act for minor debt claims. But it serves three practical purposes that make it essential:

1. It proves the debt is due. The letter documents that you asked for payment, gave a reasonable deadline, and were ignored.
2. It supports your interest claim. To claim interest from the date the demand expired, you need to show when you formally demanded payment.
3. It shows good faith. Adjudicators expect parties to have attempted resolution before filing. Walking into a hearing without evidence of a demand letter weakens your position.

Many disputes settle after the letter arrives. A formal demand with a QCAT filing deadline attached often prompts payment from people who were simply ignoring informal reminders.

What to Include

A letter of demand for a QCAT claim should contain:

Your full legal name and address — this identifies you as the applicant. If you're a sole trader, include your business name and ABN.

The respondent's full legal name and address — use their legal name, not just a trading name. If they're a company, include the ACN from your ASIC search.

An itemised summary of what's owed — reference the specific contract, invoice numbers, services rendered, or goods supplied. Don't just say "you owe me $8,000." List each component.

The exact amount claimed — the principal sum, plus an itemised interest calculation if you're claiming interest. Show your working: rate, period, formula.

A payment deadline — typically 7 to 14 calendar days from delivery. Shorter deadlines can look unreasonable; longer ones delay your filing.

A clear consequence — state that if payment isn't received by the deadline, you will lodge an application with QCAT to recover the debt, including filing fees, interest and recoverable costs.

Copies of supporting documents — attach the invoice, contract, or agreement. Don't send originals.

How to Deliver It

How you send the letter matters as much as what's in it, because you need to prove the respondent received it.

Registered post (Australia Post) is the most reliable method. You get a tracking number and delivery confirmation. Keep the receipt and the tracking printout.

Email works if you have evidence the recipient read it — a read receipt, or a reply acknowledging the email. An email sent to a general inbox with no confirmation is weak evidence.

Hand delivery is fine if you can document it — have someone witness the delivery, or take a photo showing the letter being received.

What doesn't work: text messages alone, posting on social media, or leaving a note under a door.

How Long to Wait

Give the deadline you set in the letter. If you said 14 days, wait 14 days. Filing the QCAT application the day after you post the demand letter looks unreasonable and may affect how an adjudicator views your costs claim.

Once the deadline passes without payment, you're ready to lodge.

What Happens to the Letter After Filing

Your letter of demand becomes part of your QCAT application. Attach a copy to your Form 3 or Form 1, along with your delivery tracking receipt. At the hearing, the adjudicator will see that you gave the respondent a fair chance to pay before escalating.

The QCAT claim guide includes a letter of demand template with all the required fields pre-structured, plus a delivery tracking log to document proof of receipt.

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