Adjusting a delivery date

Brown & Sons plc 88 Doncaster Road Sheffield UK Dear Sirs, We refer to your order no. 875 for 1 000 metric tons of steel bars. Owing to problems at the port, we will not be able to meet the agreed delivery date of 1 December. We are doing everything possible to ship your order but the contracted date has now become unrealistic. We believe, however, that we will be able to meet a 1 January 1997 delivery deadline. We apologize for the inconvenience, b'ut the delay is due to circumstances beyond our control. Yours faithfully,		Useful phrases Line 2 Owing to . . . we will not be able to meet the agreed delivery date of. . . Line 4 We are doing everything possible to ship your order but the contracted date has now become unrealistic. Line 8 We apologize for the inconvenience, but the delay is due to circumstances beyond our control. Notes Para. 1 Identify the reference. Para. 2 State the problem and the reason for it. Para. 3 Describe the current situation. Para. 4 Give the likely delivery date. Para. 5 Offer your apologies.
Comments The letter frankly states why a delivery date cannot be met. The vendor assures the customer that everything possible has been done to ship the goods and gives a realistic delivery date.	Alternative phrases Line 1   With reference to . . . Line 2   ... but we cannot meet the agreed delivery date. Line 4   We are doing our utmost to . . . Line 8   ... the delay is not our fault.