Make It Personal: A Quick Guide to Writing Impactful Letters to MSPs

When writing to your MSP, a personal and authentic letter carries much more weight than a copy-and-paste campaign email. Here’s how to make your voice stand out — and be heard. 

1. Open with Your Story

Tell them who you are: 

• Where is your business located? 
• How long have you operated? 
• Why do you care about your work and your community? 

Example: 

“I’ve run a small self-catering cottage in Fife for 10 years. We welcome families, walkers, and international guests — and we support several local businesses through our bookings.” 

2. Explain What Happened

Briefly describe how the issue has affected you: 

• Did you receive a letter or not? 
• Were you compliant but penalised? 
• What was the financial and emotional impact? 

Example: 

“I never received any Assessor correspondence. I only found out when I was hit with a Council Tax bill for £8,400, backdated and rated at 200%.” 

3. Describe the Real-Life Impact

This is where you make it human: 

• Stress or mental health struggles 
• Business survival risks 
• Impact on your family or staff 

Example: 

“We’ve had to cancel plans to hire seasonal staff. I’ve lost sleep, lost trust in the system, and I’m not sure if we can keep going.” 

4. Ask for Specific Action

Use your own words to ask your MSP to take action: 

• Support a moratorium 
• Call for a review of removals 
• Back legislative reform for fairness 

Example: 

“I’m asking you to support a pause on enforcement and a full review of cases where people never received proper notice.” 

5. Invite Further Contact

Make it easy for them to respond: 

• Offer to meet or talk further 
• Thank them for their time and support 

Example: 

“I’d welcome the chance to speak with you directly about how this has affected my business.” 

Final Tips: 

• Keep it to one page 
• Be respectful but honest 
• Include your name, business name, and postcode so they know you’re a constituent 

Your voice matters. MSPs are more likely to act when they hear from real people with real stories. Make your letter count — and help drive positive change.  

View Template Letter to MSP’s Here 

Author of Guidance: ASSC
Date of Guidance: April 2025 
Version Number: V1    

Disclaimer – Guidance Sheets are written by experienced Members of the ASSC and other experts. The information in the ‘Guidance Sheet’ is provided by the ASSC for use by Members in support of their own independent business decisions. It does not constitute advice or instruction for which the ASSC can be held liable in any way whatsoever. All Members and other readers remain responsible for the consequences of any decisions taken whether in the light of information gained from this Guidance Sheet or not.