You don't need to track when the institution should have responded. The system monitors every letter you send and creates a chaser step in your roadmap automatically when the response is overdue.
When a chaser is created
After you send any substantive letter (complaint, counter response, SAR, GDPR challenge, etc.), the system starts monitoring for a response. If the institution doesn't respond within the expected timeframe, a chaser step appears in your roadmap automatically.
You don't trigger this. It happens in the background. The step appears when it's time to follow up.
Only one chaser can exist per case at a time. If a chaser step is already active or pending, the system won't create another until it's completed or cancelled.
What the chaser letter contains
The chaser isn't a generic follow-up. It's built from your specific case context and directly references the unanswered correspondence:
- Reference to the original letter: cited by date, type, and recipient. "My formal complaint of 14 March 2026 to your Data Protection Officer remains unanswered."
- Content from the original: the system references specific arguments and demands from the letter they haven't responded to.
- Time elapsed: the exact number of days since the letter was sent.
- Proof of receipt: if the system has evidence that the institution received or opened your letter, the chaser notes this. A letter that was received but not answered is evidence of deliberate non-engagement.
- A firm deadline for response: demanding a reply within a specific timeframe.
The chaser letter is generated with the same writing style as all your other letters. To the institution, it reads as a natural follow-up from the same person, firmer in tone, but consistent in voice.
How to send a chaser
When the chaser step appears in your roadmap, tap the button to open it. The flow is the same as any other letter step:
- The system generates the chaser letter: built from your case context and the unanswered letter
- You review it: optionally refine or edit before sending
- You send it: copy to clipboard and send from your email
After sending, the system creates a new upload step to track the institution's response to the chaser. The cycle continues until they respond.
What happens when they respond
If the institution responds at any point, whether before or after the chaser is sent, the chaser step is cancelled automatically. You don't need to remove it. The system detects the response and:
- Cancels the pending chaser: it's no longer needed since they've engaged
- Analyses their response: see Uploading an institution response
- Creates the appropriate next step: counter response, confirmation, or info request depending on the outcome
What if they still don't respond?
If the institution ignores the chaser too, the pattern of non-engagement works in your favour:
- GDPR breaches accumulate: missed statutory deadlines are recorded automatically and cited in future letters.
- The system escalates: continued non-engagement makes higher escalation levels increasingly appropriate. See How the system manages escalation.
- Every silence is documented: your FOS referral or ICO complaint will include the full timeline of unanswered correspondence.
If you sent letters before joining
If you already sent a complaint or SAR before joining ADVICIFAS Pro and haven't received a response, the system can still generate a chaser. When you open the chaser step, you'll be asked to confirm you've already sent a letter and optionally upload or paste the original so the chaser can reference it accurately.
