1.1. We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. Wherever our service is unacceptable, unsatisfactory, or falls below our usual standard then we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.
1.2. If you have a complaint, including a complaint about a bill, please contact us with the details.
2.1. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint normally within three days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
2.2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to Phil Bramhall, The Principal, who will review your file.
2.3. Unless the complaint is accepted and resolved by letter, Phil Bramhall will arrange a meeting with you to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. He will aim to do this within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
2.4. Within three days of the meeting, Phil Bramhall will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions he has agreed with you.
2.5. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, Phil Bramhall will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including his suggestions for resolving the matter, normally within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
2.6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for Phil Bramhall to review his own decision or arrange for review by another local solicitor.
2.7. We will write to you normally within 21 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint, and explaining our reasons.
2.8. If you are still not satisfied and you are an individual, very small business, charity, club, or a trust, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH, about your complaint. As of April 2023, time limits for referring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman will be no later than:
However, Rule 4.7, which allows an Ombudsman to exercise discretion to extend
time limits for specific customers if, on the evidence, it was fair and reasonable to do so remains in force. For further information, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk.
2.9. If your complaint is about a bill, in certain circumstances you may also have the right to object to the bill by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. In these circumstances, the Legal Ombudsman may not deal with the complaint. If all or part of a bill remains unpaid, the firm may be entitled to charge interest.
2.10. In addition to (or instead of, depending upon the nature of the complaint) making a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, you can contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority to make a complaint against the company and/or individual solicitor if you are concerned about serious or repeated cases of poor behaviour or conduct. You can find further information on the obligations of Solicitors, how to make a complaint and what information is needed to make a complaint on the SRA website – www.sra.org.uk. Completing the online form found on their website is the quickest way to make a complaint.
2.11. If we have to change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why.
2.12. Phil Bramhall will personally handle any complaints a client may have.
3.1. All complaints received from clients will be dealt with and recorded in a central complaints file. The data collected from this file will help to improve the business and our client’s experience in general. The data will form the basis of our annual general review.
4.1 An expression of dissatisfaction.