Complaint policy info for clients
THE PROCEDURE
- We aim to offer an efficient and effective service and we trust that we will do so in every case. If, however, there is any aspect of our service or our bills with which you are unhappy please raise the matter with me so that I can try to deal with your concerns.
Your concerns/complaint can be made to us by telephone, email or letter.
We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within 2 working days of us receiving the complaint, along with a copy of the Client Complaint Procedure. Your complaint will be investigated free of charge and you will be invited to discuss and hopefully resolve the matter. This will be done within 28 days of us sending you the acknowledgment letter. Where it is not convenient for you to attend such a meeting we would seek to discuss the results of our investigation with you over the phone, again we would try wherever possible to do this within 28 days of us sending you the acknowledgment letter. - Within 14 days of the meeting or telephone conversation discussing the findings of the investigation, I will write to you to confirm the points discussed in the meeting/ telephone conversation and set out any solutions I propose for the resolution of the situation.
- Where we are not able to meet to discuss your complaint and it is not convenient for you to receive a phone call to discuss it you will receive a letter from me confirming the findings of the complaint investigation and setting out any solutions I propose for the resolution of the situation.
- Our letter setting out the proposals to resolve the situation will ask whether you agree with the proposed solution and ask you to confirm this either by phone, letter or email.
- Where you confirm that you are still not satisfied with our response we will review our decision and the proposed solution that arises from it. We will then write to you within 28 days of us receiving confirmation that you are still not satisfied with our findings and the proposed solution, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
- Whilst we will make every effort to resolve your complaint if we are unable to do so to your satisfaction within eight weeks, or following receipt of our final complaint response letter, you have the right to refer your complaint free of charge to the Legal Ombudsman so that it can be independently investigated. However, you must refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving our final response letter to your complaint. The contact details for the Legal Ombudsman Service are: Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk Telephone: 0300 555 0333 between 8.30am and 5.30pm. For minicom call 0300 555 1777. Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk By post: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ.
OTHER OPTIONS OPEN TO YOU
If your complaint relates to misconduct by a member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives you have the right to refer your complaint to CILEx Regulation. If your complaint relates to misconduct by a member of the Solicitors Regulation Authority you have the right to refer your complaint to SRA. Complaints of this type must be made within 12 months of the event that gave rise to the complaint or within 12 months of the complainant having knowledge of the events, whichever is the greater. You can contact CILEx Regulation at Kempston Manor, Kempston, Bedford. MK42 7AB. Telephone: 01234 845770 Email: info@cilexregulation.org.uk www.cilexregulation.org.uk. You can contact SRA at Solicitors Regulation Authority, The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN.
There are Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) bodies (such as ADR Group, Address: 160 Fleet Street, London EC4A 2DQ; Tel: 02036005050; Email: consumer-dispute@adrgroup.co.uk; Website: http://www.consumer-dispute.co.uk) exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and our firm wish to use such a scheme. Please note that currently we do not engage in ADR as we believe the complaint investigation services offered by CILEx Regulation and the Legal Ombudsman are more appropriate.