Complaints Procedure

 

If at any time you have any queries or concerns on any aspect of a matter, then please do not hesitate to contact us. Our complaints procedure is detailed in our client care.

If, your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction or the eight week period has expired without our final response, you’re entitled to refer your complaint to an Ombudsman Scheme or for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). However, we’ll always be happy to discuss your issues further if you wish to do so, prior to taking this step.

For complaints about our service, including billing issues, you may contact the Legal Ombudsman:

  • Phone: 0300 555 0333
  • Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
  • Post: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9W

If your unresolved complaint relates to an insurance policy covering your case, you may contact the Financial Ombudsman Service:

  • Phone: 0800 023 4567
  • Email: complaint.info@financialombudsman.org.uk
  • Post: Financial Ombudsman Service, Exchange Tower, London E14 9SR

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is a form of mediation similar, but separate to, the Legal Ombudsman. Companies exist who may be competent to mediate in some disputes but you’d need to obtain our express prior permission to use such a company. This doesn’t apply to contacting the Legal Ombudsman, which you can do at any time. You can find out more about ADR online.

The Legal Ombudsman aims to resolve complaints and assist clients and their solicitors to reach a mutual agreement. There are, however, time limits for submitting complaints to them. These time limits also apply for referrals to the Financial Ombudsman Service:

  • Within six months of receiving our final response
  • Eight weeks after lodging your complaint with us, if you haven’t received our final response
  • Within six years of the date of the act/omission if you haven’t previously complained, or
  • Three years from the date that you should’ve known you had a complaint to pursue and hadn’t complained previously (if the act/ omission occurred more than six years ago). The Legal Ombudsman won’t accept complaints where the act/omission or date of awareness was before 6 October 2010 though. If your complaint is about your bill, you may have a right to apply to the court for an assessment under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. There are strict time limits applicable and you may wish to seek independent legal advice:
  • Within one month from the date of the invoice you have an unconditional right to a detailed assessment
  • After one month the Court may impose restrictions
  • After one year from the invoice date, you will lose the right to a detailed assessment, except in special circumstances. The Legal Ombudsman may not consider a complaint about a bill if you have applied to the court for such an assessment.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you if you are concerned about any non-service aspect of the firm.  This includes any issue that you believe should be considered by the professional regulator of solicitors.

You can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority at www.sra.org.uk