Complaints Handling Procedure
We want to give you a good service. However, should you become concerned about the service, for example about billing, then you should inform us so that we can seek to resolve your concerns.
If you would prefer your concerns to be addressed verbally, at least initially, then please call the office; it may be appropriate to make an appointment to come in and speak to Max and try to settle the matter together or to have a detailed telephone discussion at a mutually convenient time.
If you favour your concern being addressed by correspondence, or for a concern which you raised verbally at first to be progressed by correspondence, please inform us in writing. If you inform us of a concern in writing, we will aim to acknowledge receipt within two working days. We will then explain in writing what is being done to address your concern and give you a guideline timescale to which we will be working. In any event we would respond in writing within a maximum of eight weeks. Whatever the outcome of our investigation, we will make it clear, in writing, how we reached this conclusion.
What happens if these internal procedures cannot resolve the matter to your satisfaction? The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve the matter ourselves, and will look at the matter independently. Before accepting a matter for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve the matter with us first.
If you have, but without receiving a resolution acceptable to you, then you must refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman:
- Within six months of receiving our final response
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 concern.
If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please make contact:
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
Should you raise a concern about a matter we are currently handling on your behalf, that would not cause us to allocate any lower standard of service to you whilst the concern is being investigated. Nor are any fees charged for dealing with concerns raised.
We have set out here a summary of how a procedure should operate in order to comply with our professional regulations. The overall regulator for the solicitors’ profession is the Solicitors Regulation Authority and should you feel more comfortable with accessing information relevant to the above matters, and other related topics, direct from the SRA, then please access their website. SRA.org.uk