Complaints Procedure
Our Complaints Procedure
We are committed to providing a quality service to our clients. We value feedback from clients greatly because it helps us to continually improve our service. If you do not feel that you are receiving excellent client service or that something could be improved, please do tell us about it. If we have fallen short of the high standards which we have set for ourselves then we would like the opportunity to put it right.
What do I do if I have feedback or a complaint?
At first it would be helpful if you could discuss any feedback or concerns which you have about our service or how it might be improved with the lawyer dealing with your matter. If the lawyer dealing cannot resolve your concern informally, or if the issue is of such a serious nature that you do not feel comfortable raising it with your lawyer, then you may discuss this with our complaints director as a complaint under this policy.
How do I raise a complaint under this policy?
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- why you feel dissatisfied with the service which you have received;
- how you would prefer to be contacted about your complaint;
- if there is anything in particular which you would like us to do to resolve your complaint.
If you would prefer not to email details of your complaint in this way, then please call to discuss the best way to get an understanding of your concerns.
What happens after I have made a complaint under this policy?
We will:
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- send an acknowledgement of your complaint within 7 days of receiving it;
- log your complaint on our central complaints register;
- investigate the concerns
- write to you within 8 weeks of receiving your complaint to confirm the outcome of this.
In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to extend these timescales, but we will try to agree any variations with you first. If you remain unsatisfied after 8 weeks at the latest, we will always ensure that you are reminded at that time of how to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman if you are eligible to do so.
What might the outcome of my complaint be?
We very much regret any dissatisfaction which our clients experience and will not hesitate to apologise to you where our service has fallen below our high standards. We may also agree that certain steps will be taken to improve your situation and to ensure that any problems experienced will not reoccur.
What if I remain unsatisfied?
If you remain dissatisfied, you may be entitled to complain to the Legal Ombudsman about our service. This service is not available to all clients, such as large businesses. The Ombudsman generally expects clients to follow a firm’s internal complaints procedure first. Click the link to download a formal complaint letter template from the Legal Ombudsman website. You can find further information about the Ombudsman on the website www.legalombudsman.org.uk. You can write to the Ombudsman at Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ or by email on enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or call on 0300 555 0333.
Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
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- 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.
When to report a solicitor to the SRA
If you have complained to your solicitor about breaching the SRA Code of Conduct and you are not satisfied with their response, you can report them to the SRA.
Solicitors must follow the code of conduct. Examples of a breach include:
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- dishonesty
- fraud
- discrimination