Complaints

Our complaints policy

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. If something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it.  This will enable us to rectify the situation for you and help us to improve our standards.

Our complaints procedure

The purpose of this procedure is to define the actions, authority and responsibility within the Practice for handling client complaints. It sets out the steps we can take to implement suitable corrective action effectively.  Our Client Care letter advises that when a Solicitor handling the case cannot resolve the complaint, then the matter is referred to a nominated Complaints Partner.

What will happen next?

1. We will send you a letter acknowledging your complaint and asking you to confirm or explain any details.  If it seems appropriate, we will suggest a meeting at this stage.  We will also let you know the name of the person who will deal with your complaint.
2. We will then record your complaint in our central register and open a file for your complaint.  We will also investigate your complaint by examining the relevant file(s).
3. If appropriate, we will then invite you to meet the Complaints Partner to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint.  We would hope to be in a position to meet with you in this way no longer than 14 days after first receiving your complaint. If you would prefer not to meet, or if we cannot arrange this within an agreeable timescale, the Complaints Partner will write fully to you setting out his/her views on the situation and any proposed redress.
4. Within seven days of any meeting we will write to you to confirm what took place and any suggestions that we have agreed with you.  The Complaints Partner will identify the cause of the complaint, the options for redress, and will record actions needed to resolve the complaint in detail on the central register and client file.
5. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, please let us know. We will then arrange to review our decision.  We aim to do this within ten days.
6. We will let you know the result of the review within five working days of the end of the review.  We will write to you confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.  We will also give you the name and address of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors.  If you are still not satisfied, you should contact them about your complaint.  
7. On completion of the complaints procedure, where we identify unsatisfactory procedures or methods, we will correct these and note the changes on our central complaints register. We will also make any appropriate amendments to procedures in the Office Manual.
8. Should resolution of a complaint require disciplinary action then we will deal with this according to our internal Disciplinary Procedure. A copy of this is available on request.
9. In the case of complaints concerning a person other than a Solicitor (for example a Receptionist or Secretary), we will take written note of the complaint and pass this to the Solicitor acting for the client concerned. This Solicitor will then take up the matter with their client and follow the procedures outlined here as appropriate.
10. It is the firm’s policy to deal with all complaints promptly and to make the client aware in writing of all actions taken.
11. If we cannot resolve a complaint to your satisfaction through our internal complaints procedure, you have the right to take it to the appropriate Legal Ombudsman. The address is: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ.  Any complaint must be within six months of the date of final response from us, and no more than six years from the date of the act/omission giving rise to the complaint, or no more than six years from when the client should reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.  Our Partner who has general responsibility for complaints is Mrs Avril Evans.
12. The Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints about poor service. If the Legal Ombudsman thinks your case involves a breach of the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority (SRA) Principles, they will refer it on to the SRA.  If you think this firm has breached an SRA Principle, then you can make a complaint directly to the SRA.  There are seven Principles that all people and Law firms regulated by the SRA must meet.  They must act:
    • in a way that upholds the constitutional principle of the rule of law, and the proper administration of justice;
    • in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the Solicitors’ profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons;
    • with independence;
    • with honesty;
    • with integrity;
    • in a way that encourages equality, diversity and inclusion;
    • in the best interest of each client.