Complaints Handling Policy
Our complaints policy
We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.
If you have a complaint, please contact us with the details. We have 8 weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it within this time you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman.
What will happen next?
- We will send you a letter or an email acknowledging receipt of your complaint within 3 days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
- We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to our client care partner, Mr Christopher Macwilliam, who will review your file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
- Within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter or email Mr Macwilliam will contact you by letter or by email. He will either:
(a) Offer you a meeting with him to discuss your complaint and hopefully resolve it. If you take up the offer of a meeting then, within 7 days of the meeting taking place, Mr Macwilliam will write to you or email you to confirm what took place and any solutions he has agreed with you. If you tell us you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, Mr Macwilliam will send you a letter or an email providing a detailed response to your complaint, including his suggestions for resolving the matter. You should receive this letter or email within 14 days of you telling us that you do not want a meeting.
or
(b) Let you know that a meeting is not required and provide a detailed response to your complaint, including his suggestions for resolving the matter.
- At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for another partner to review his decision.
- We will write to you or email you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
- If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact:
The Legal Ombudsman,
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH
about your complaint. The timescales in which the Legal Ombudsman can accept such a complaint are set out on their website (www.legalombudsman.org.uk). For further information, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk. It is your responsibility to make sure you make your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman withing the time limits detailed in their scheme rules.