Complaints procedure.

Stage 1 — Talk to the person handling your case.

If you are unhappy with something, please tell the solicitor or case handler working on your file in the first instance. Many concerns can be resolved immediately through a conversation or an explanation.

Stage 2 — Formal complaint to our Complaints Partner.

If Stage 1 does not resolve the issue, please set out your complaint in writing to our Complaints Partner:

Please include:

• Your full name, address and file reference
• A clear description of your complaint
• What you would like us to do to put it right
• Any supporting documents

What happens next.

1. Within 5 working days we will send you written acknowledgement of your complaint.
2. Within 14 working days of acknowledgement, we will investigate by reviewing your file and speaking to the staff involved.
3. Within 28 working days of acknowledgement, we will write to you with our findings. If the investigation is complex and takes longer, we will write to keep you updated.
4. If you are not satisfied with our response, we will invite you to a meeting or a call to discuss further.
5. We will then send you a final written response setting out our final position.

Stage 3 — The Legal Ombudsman.

If you remain unhappy after our final response, or if we have not resolved your complaint within 8 weeks of you making it, you have the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman. This service is free to use.

You must normally refer a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within:

• Six months of receiving our final written response on the complaint, AND
• One year from the date of the act or omission being complained about, OR
• One year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint

Complaints about our conduct or ethics.

If your complaint is about our professional conduct or ethics (rather than service), you can complain to the Solicitors Regulation Authority:

Complaints about costs.

You also have the right, under sections 70, 71 and 72 of the Solicitors Act 1974, to apply to the court for an assessment of our bill.

No charge for complaining.

We do not charge for handling complaints. Making a complaint does not affect our handling of your case.