Complaints Procedure

We strive to provide the highest levels of client satisfaction but occasionally you may have concerns or even a complaint. In the event of a problem, you are entitled to make a complaint. Any concerns or complaints should initially be referred to our representative who has the day to day conduct of your file.

If our representative is unable to resolve your concern then complaints handling is dealt with by the relevant complaints partner for the department (see below) to which the complaint relates who will provide a copy of the Complaints Procedure on request.

James Kew – Conveyancing (Residential & Commercial)

Emma Donovan – Estate Planning & Administration (Wills, Probate, LPAs)

Jennifer Hardy – Employment

Rebecca Antoniou – Family

Jennifer Hardy – Litigation

If your complaint is about one of the complaints partners then please refer your complaint to James Kew unless the complaint is about James Kew in which case please refer your complaint to Jacqueline Farrow.

Please refer to previous correspondence and our letterhead for details as to how to contact us. If you have any queries on how to contact us, please ring the Colchester office on telephone number 01206 564546.

Legal Ombudsman

If a complaint cannot be reconciled by the internal client care/complaints procedure then you are entitled to complain to the Legal Ombudsman:

The Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH

Tel: 0300 5550333
[email protected]

Details of the complaints handling procedure adopted by the Legal Ombudsman may be found at
www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

• Within six months of receiving our final response to your complaint

and

• No more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or
• No more than one year from the date when you should reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Alternative dispute resolution bodies exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and our firm wish to use such a scheme. We do not agree to use such schemes as we believe the complaints resolution process provided by the Legal Ombudsman to be a fair process.

Solicitors Regulation Authority

If someone thinks a solicitor might be dishonest or has concerns about their ethics or integrity, they have the right to notify our regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). There are no time limits for making a report but there are limits on what the SRA will consider. Please note that the SRA is not able to deal with issues of poor service (complaints of this nature should instead be referred to the Legal Ombudsman). For further information about the SRA’s role, please contact the SRA or visit:

https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page#report.