COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

The Solicitors Regulation Authority Code of Conduct requires that all firms of solicitors have a procedure for handling clients’ complaints and that clients are notified there is a procedure at the outside of our acting for you and not simply if or when a complaint arises. This firm’s complaints procedure seeks to resolve as many complaints internally as possible keeping clients satisfied even if matters have gone wrong.

If at any time you are unhappy about the level of service that is being provided to you or the way in which your matter is being dealt with then please tell us. Any complaint will be dealt with fairly, sympathetically and quickly.

In the first instance, any complaint should be raised with the fee earner with conduct of your matter. If this is not possible then the complaint may be referred to the Senior Partner, John Davis. You are invited to put the complaint in writing to assist in clarifying the issues and stating what action you wish to be taken to resolve your complaint. The complaint can still be dealt with even if it is not made in writing and no charge will be made for discussing your case with you and investigating the matter.

We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint, advise you as to who is investigating it and provide an initial response within a timely manner. Once our full investigation has been completed we will write to you to advise whether we accept that your complaint was justified and what action we propose to take to resolve the matter. We aim to resolve most complaints internally but if the outcome of your complaint is not satisfactory to you, you have a right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman, an independent complaints body, established under the Legal Services Act 2007. Details for the Legal Ombudsman are set out below:-

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ

Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

The Legal Ombudsman will normally not be willing to consider a complaint until you have exhausted the firm’s complaints procedure. Further, the Legal Ombudsman usually recommend that an amicable settlement is reached between the parties and allows us eight weeks for this to happens before accepting a complaint. Ordinarily, a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman should be made within six months of our final written response to your complaint.

Whilst the Legal Ombudsman will typically deal with complaints regarding the work or service provided by a firm, the Solicitors Regulation Authority can help with complaints where you believe a solicitor might be dishonest or if you have concerns about their behaviour. Please see the following link for more information on reporting an individual or firm to the Solicitors Regulation Authority: https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/.