Complaints Procedure
Quick Resolution
We want to give you the best possible service and we sincerely hope that you will not have cause to complain. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service, we ask you to consider contacting the person who is working on your case to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to quickly resolve any issues. If you feel unable to speak to them you can ask to speak informally to a partner or, if a partner is dealing with the case, another partner of the firm.
If you are not satisfied and wish to raise a formal complaint then our full complaints procedure is set out below. Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case.
What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint
The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your 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 your complaint with us first. If you have not then they are likely to tell you to contact us.
There are some time limits on using the Legal Ombudsman. You must make your complaint to them:
- Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint from us and
- No more than six years from the date of act/omission; or
- No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint
If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please contact them directly.
Legal Ombudsman contact details
Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9.00 to 17.00.
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Write to: Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour
The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help 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.
Solicitors Regulation Authority contact details
Visit: https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/
or if that page becomes obsolete the main website https://www.sra.org.uk
Email: contactcentre@sra.org.uk
PSL FORMAL COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
If you wish to raise a formal complaint please contact the person dealing with your case and set out what the issues are and what you would like us to do to put it right. This does not have to be in writing but it is usually better to do so to avoid misunderstanding. You may also wish to enclose documents. We will normally acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days of receipt unless that person is away (e.g. on leave or sick).
We will then let you have a full written reply within 21 days of our acknowledgement. There is no charge for work that we undertake in investigating your complaint whether or not it is upheld.
If the problem is not resolved to your satisfaction you should then contact our Complaints Officer within 7 days setting out why you are not satisfied. (see below or on the terms and conditions that we sent you at the outset). If that person was also the fee earner actually dealing with the case then you can ask to have the case reviewed by another director/partner of the firm. We will respond within a further 14 days.
The Complaints Officer
Probate Solicitors Limited
First Floor
1705 High Street
Knowle
Solihull
West Midlands
B93 0LN
If the matter has not been resolved to your satisfaction within 8 weeks of us first acknowledging your complaint you are free to take the matter further with the Legal Ombudsman (see above).
