Complaints Handling Policy

Customer service is central to everything we do

Customer service is central to everything we do. We greatly value client feedback because it helps us continually improve. If we have fallen short of the high standards we set for ourselves, we welcome the opportunity to put things right.

What do I do if I have feedback or a complaint?

At first, it would be helpful if you could discuss any feedback or concerns which you have about our service or how it might be improved with the lawyer dealing with your matter. If the lawyer dealing cannot resolve your concern informally, or if the issue is of such a serious nature that you do not feel comfortable raising it with your lawyer, then please write directly to Anita Kalra.

How do I raise a complaint under this policy?

It would help us if you could email [email protected] with:

• why you feel dissatisfied with the service which you have received;
• how you would prefer to be contacted about your complaint;
• if there is anything in particular which you would like us to do to resolve your complaint;
• whether it relates to concerns about how your personal data has been used/handled.

If you would prefer not to email details of your complaint, then please call Anita on 0330 221 0684 to discuss the best way to get an understanding of your concerns.

What happens after I have made a complaint under this policy?

For general complaints, we will:

• acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 7 days of receiving it;
• log your complaint on our central complaints register;
• investigate the concerns and arrange a discussion with you to try to agree how to resolve the issues within 21 days of receiving your complaint;
• write to you within 28 days of receiving your complaint to confirm the outcome of this.

In exceptional circumstances, it may be necessary to extend these timescales, but we will try to agree any variations with you first. If you remain unsatisfied after 8 weeks at the latest, we will always ensure that you are reminded at that time of how to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, if you are eligible to do so.

How do I raise a data protection complaint?

For data protection complaints, we will:

• acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 30 days of receiving it at the latest and will endeavour to do so within 7 days of receipt;
• where necessary, request proof of your identity and/or authority to make the complaint if it is made on behalf of someone else;
• provide you with a copy of our privacy notice if you have not already seen it, which can also be accessed on our website: Our Privacy Policy;
• log your complaint on our central complaints register;
• take appropriate steps to respond to your complaint, including making appropriate enquiries and keeping you informed, without undue delay once the complaint has been received;
• where necessary, arrange a discussion with you to obtain further information and/or try to agree how to resolve the issues without undue delay;
• keep you updated on the progress of the investigation without undue delay, particularly if it becomes necessary to extend any timescales provided at the outset;
• confirm the outcome of our investigation into your complaint without unjustifiable or excessive delay. We will aim to do this within 30 days of receiving your complaint, but it may be necessary to extend this timescale depending on the circumstances of the complaint. If that is the case, we will notify you accordingly;
• explain what we have done to resolve your complaint and, where appropriate, any actions we have taken as a result.

What might the outcome of my complaint be?

We very much regret any dissatisfaction which our clients experience and will not hesitate to apologise to you where our service has fallen below our high standards. We may also agree that certain steps will be taken to improve your situation and to ensure that any problems experienced will not reoccur.

What if I remain unsatisfied?

If you remain dissatisfied, you may be entitled to complain to the Legal Ombudsman about our service, including our charges. This service is not available to all clients, however, such as large businesses. The Ombudsman would generally expect clients to follow a firm’s internal complaints procedure first.

You can write to the Ombudsman at:

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0300 555 0333

If you wish to raise a complaint with the Ombudsman, then you should not delay bringing it to their attention once our own complaints process has concluded, as there are some time limits on when this must be done. For example, normally you must raise a complaint with the Ombudsman within six months of the date of our final written response to your complaint. You should also be aware that the Ombudsman expects complaints to be made to them within one year of the date of the act or omission about which you are concerned or within one year of you realising there was a concern.

Please note that the Ombudsman is there to deal with concerns about the level of service received. Where there are more serious concerns that a solicitor or solicitor’s firm have been involved in professional misconduct, then reports can also be made to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the regulator of solicitors and solicitor firms. This could be for quite unusual and serious acts of misconduct such as dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic. Obviously, we do not anticipate any such problems arising and would ask that you notify the matter supervisor straight away if you have any such concerns.

You can find out more about the Solicitors Regulation Authority, including their contact details and professional conduct rules, on their website: https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/

If your complaint relates to how your personal data has been used/handled, which we have not been able to address to your satisfaction pursuant to this policy, you may be able to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) directly.

You can learn more about the ICO and personal data rights at https://ico.org.uk/ and specifically about complaints in relation to the use of your personal data at:

https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/data-protection-complaints/