Complaints Procedure

If you are dissatisfied with the service we have provided then you have the right to complain. The Legal Ombudsman service has been operational since 6 October 2010 and is ultimately responsible for ensuring that complaints are handled appropriately.

However, before you contact the Legal Ombudsman you must first register an official complaint with us. Normally, the Legal Ombudsman expects you to give us 8 weeks to try to resolve the matter. If after 8 weeks you are still dissatisfied you can involve the Legal Ombudsman. For more information on how the Legal Ombudsman works please visit the Legal Ombudsman website.

Timescales

In normal circumstances you are required to register a complaint within one year.  You must then give us 8 weeks to try to resolve your complaint before contacting the Legal Ombudsman. A complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must normally be made within six months of the date of the conclusion of the Firm's complaints procedure. In summary:

• You must register your complaint with us within one year of the act or omission being complained about, or one year from the date when you should have realised that there was cause for complaint.
• The Legal Ombudsman expects you to give us 8 weeks to try to resolve your complaint
• After this time, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman (but you must do so within 6 months)

The Legal Ombudsman is allowed to exercise discretion to extend the one year time limit for specific clients if, on the evidence, it is fair and reasonable to do so. Contact details for the Legal Ombudsman are below:

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH

Getting Started

To register a formal complaint, please write to us and include all the information suggested by the Legal Ombudsman - their website includes some useful resources.

In addition to the Legal Ombudsman, several other complaints bodies exist which are also able to deal with complaints about legal services - these are:

• www.ombudsman-services.org
• www.promediate.co.uk
• www.gov.uk/guidance/small-claims-mediation-service

You may also choose to make a report to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). This could be if you are concerned about our professional behaviour or conduct, such as for things like dishonesty, deliberately overcharging you, or treating you unfairly because of a characteristic such as your age, sex or disability.

You can find out how to make a report at https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor or contact the SRA at their details below:

Solicitors Regulation Authority,
The Cube,
199 Wharfside Street,
Birmingham,
B1 1RN
Tel: 0370 606 2555