We want to give you the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service we have provided to you then you should inform us immediately so that we can do our best to resolve the problem for you. In the first instance it may be helpful to contact the individual who is working on your case to discuss any concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues at this stage.
If this individual is unable to resolve your concerns then you may ask for your matter to be dealt with as a formal complaint under the firm’s complaints procedure. The complaint can be made by telephone, email or letter and will be dealt with free of charge. The stages in this process are:
• Once a complaint is received it will be acknowledged in writing within three working days.
• The matter will be investigated normally within three weeks•We will then invite you to a meeting to talk through the findings of the investigation with a view to bringing the matter to anamicableconclusion. (If you are unable to attend a meeting or do not want to we will instead write to you explaining the findings of theinvestigation and the action that is proposed to resolve the matter).
• Following this meeting we will confirm in writing the findings of the investigation and the actions that has been agreed to address the matter.
What happens if I don’t agree with your views on the complaint?
If at the end of eight weeks we have been unable to resolve the complaint with you then you can have the complaint independently looked at by the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal Ombudsman investigates problems about poor service from lawyers.
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:
• 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.
If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman please contact them.
Contact details: Visit www.legalombudsman.org.uk or Call 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm.
Email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
In addition to the above, if your complaint relates to the conduct of a CILEx regulated lawyer, you have the right to complain to CILEx Regulation who will investigate it free of charge. Complaints of this type must be made within 12 months of the event that gave rise to the complaint or within 12 months of you having knowledge of the events, whichever is the greater. The complaint can be made by contacting CILEx Regulation at Room 301, Endeavour House, Wrest Park, CILEx Regulation, Silsoe, Bedford MK45 4HS, telephone 01234 845770 or at info@cilexregulation.org.uk.
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) bodies (Promediate (UK) Limited, Brow Farm, Top Road, Frodsham, WA6 6SP. Email: enquiries@promediate.co.uk, Phone 0203 621 3908) exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and our firm wish to use such a scheme. We do not agree to the use of ADR currently preferring the complaints resolution scheme offered by the Legal Ombudsman and CILEx as detailed above.