What to do if you have a complaint
We want to give you the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service we have provided then you should inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem.
In the first instance it may be helpful to contact the person who is working on your case to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues at this stage. If you would like to make a formal complaint, then please read our full complaints procedure below.
Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic.
You can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
What do to if we cannot resolve your complaint?
The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case.
Contact details
Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm.
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
Complaints Procedure
Our complaints policy
We are committed to providing a first class legal service to all our clients. Unfortunately, things sometimes go wrong, and when this happens we need you to tell us about it to help us maintain our high standards and enable us to respond to your concerns. If you have a complaint, please contact us, in writing, with the details.
What will happen next?
- On receipt of your complaint we will record it on a central folder for compliance purposes.
- We will then send you a letter acknowledging your complaint which may also invite you to confirm or expand on the details already received. The letter will also let you know the name of the person who will be dealing with your complaint who is likely to be Julie Summers or Griselda Constantine. We will aim to reply to you within seven days of our receiving your complaint.
- We will then start to investigate your complaint. This will normally involve the following steps:
- We will pass your complaint to Julie Summers or Griselda Constantine, as appropriate, within two working days of receiving it.
- They will fully investigate the matter to include reading the file and speaking to the person complained about and Julie Summers or Griselda Constantine will send you a detailed reply to your complaint including their suggestions for resolving the matter within 14 days of first receiving the original complaint from you.
- If it is appropriate you will be invited to a meeting. Where a meeting is required Julie Summers or Griselda Constantine will write to you within 3 working days of that meeting confirming the discussion and any solutions agreed with you.
- If, 8 weeks after making your complaint, we have not dealt with it to your satisfaction, you may have the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman
(www.legalombudsman.org.uk)
P.O. Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
Tel: 0121 245 3050.
There are time limits within which you need to apply to the Legal Ombudsman as follows:
- Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint
and - No more than six years from the date of act/omission; or
- No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
Alternative complaints bodies (Ombudsman Services, ProMediate, Small Claims Mediation and the European Online Dispute Resolution platform) exist which are able to deal with complaints about legal services. The details of these can be found at:
www.ombudsman-services.org
www.promediate.co.uk
ec.europa.eu/consumers/odr/