Client Care & Complaints Policy
1. We strive to provide a high quality, friendly and efficient service to meet all client needs. If, at any time, you believe that our service to you could be improved, or if you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service or you have a complaint about a bill, please raise the issue immediately with Claudia Le Gros (Managing Partner) or Julia Morris (Partner) at 22 Windsor Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BY or by email to claudia@legrossolicitors.com or julia@legrossolicitors.com who will fully investigate your concern. We have a procedure in place which sets out how we handle complaints (see paragraphs 3 to 8 below).
Timeframe overview
2. We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it in this time or you are not satisfied with how we address and deal with your complaint, you can ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint. If you wish to contact the Legal Ombudsman you should visit their website www.legalombudsman.org.uk, call them on 0300 555 0333, e-mail them at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or write to them at PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ. Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint, or, if we do not deal with your complaint within eight weeks, six months after the expiry of the eight week period.
Detailed process
3. Within three working days of us receiving your complaint, we will send you an email or letter acknowledgement. We will also let you know the name of the person who will be dealing with your complaint ("the Complaints Partner").
4. Within 7 days of our acknowledgement, the following steps will take place:
4.1. we will pass your complaint to the Complaints Partner;
4.2. the Complaints Partner will speak with the member of staff who acted on your file; and
4.3. the Complaints Partner will contact you to arrange a meeting, either in person or by phone.
5. It is hoped that during the meeting, the complaint will be resolved. The Complaints Partner will respond to you within 5 working days of the meeting to confirm what has been agreed and/or the next steps.
6. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, the Complaints Partner will send a detailed reply to you within 21 days of our original acknowledgement.
7. At this stage, if you are not satisfied, you can write to us again. We will then arrange for another partner of the firm to review the Complaints Partner’s decision.
8. Within 14 days we will send you a final response, explaining the findings and reasons.
9. Should you not be satisfied with our final response, you can contact The Legal Ombudsman (using the details set out in paragraph 21.2). The Legal Ombudsman will look at the complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case. Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve the complaint with us first.
10. You must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
10.1. within six months from the date of the final response from us
and
10.2. no more than six years from the date of the act or omission;
or
10.3. no more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
Additional points
11. If your complaint relates to our bill, you may also have the right to apply to the court for an assessment of a bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. This process is called "detailed assessment". Strict time limits are applicable to this procedure and you may therefore wish to seek independent legal advice.
12. The Legal Ombudsman may not deal with a complaint about a bill if you have applied to the court for an assessment of that bill.
13. Please be aware that, if you are late paying our bills, we may also be entitled to charge interest on the amounts owing as set out in paragraph 5.1 of our Terms and Conditions of Business, notwithstanding the reason for the non-payment.
14. The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic. You can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority by visiting their website https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page.
Last updated: 10 January 2019