Complaints Handling Procedure
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.
Our Complaints Procedure
If you have a complaint about our service, the level of our fees, or the way in which we have handled your work, please write to Sue Hatton, Director, at Etchell House, Etchell Court, Bonehill Road, Tamworth. Staffordshire B78 3HQ, with the details.
What Will Happen Next?
1. We will contact you to acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days of receiving your letter. We will also let you know the name of the person who will be dealing with your complaint. We will record your complaint in our central register when we acknowledge it.
2. The person investigating your complaint will normally ask the member of staff who acted for you to respond to her about your complaint within a further 5 working days. They will then examine their response and the information in your file. If necessary they may also speak to that member of staff.
3. We will either write to you with a formal response to your complaint or invite you to a meeting to discuss it. We will do this within 5 working days of completing our investigation. We will then write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions that have been agreed.
4. If you are still not satisfied you can write to us again. We will then arrange to review our decision. Another of our Directors will review the matter within 10 working days. If we have to change any of the timescales above we will let you know and explain why.
5. We will let you know in writing the result of this review within 5 working days of its conclusion.
6. If we have been unable to settle your complaint using our internal complaints process, you have a right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman, an independent complaints body, established under the Legal Services Act 2007, that deals with legal services complaints.
The Legal 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. You must also refer your concerns to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of our final response to you.
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Email address: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
6. Alternative complaints bodies such as Ombudsman Services, exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and our firm wish to use such a scheme.
Who has ultimate responsibility for complaints handling within our firm?
This responsibility rests with our Managing Director, Sue Hatton. She may not be the person who has the day to day handling of the investigation into a complaint but the ultimate responsibility is hers. A complaint against Sue Hatton will be handled by another Director.
Pickerings Solicitors, Etchell House, Etchell Court, Bonehill Road, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B78 3HQ
Tel 01827 317070