Introduction
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 improve our standards.
Our Complaints Procedure
If you have a concern or complaint that has not been dealt with to your satisfaction by the person handling your case or their supervisor, please contact us as soon as you are aware of the problem so this can be addressed. Please contact Susan Howarth who will then allocate this to one of the Directors of Susan Howarth & Co Solicitors Ltd, 41 Chesterway, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 5JE, Tel: 01606 48777 or email info@susanhowarthsolicitors.co.uk .
What happens next?
- A Director will investigate your concerns or complaint.
- If your complaint is about a Director, then we will ensure that your complaint is handled by another Director of the Practice (and not the Director who is the subject of the complaint).
- The person investigating your claim will:
- Acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 days and confirm the name of the Director handling your complaint at the same time providing you with a copy of our Complaints Procedure.
- Speak with the fee earner concerned and discuss your complaint.
- Review your file.
- If deemed appropriate, we may invite you into the office to discuss your complaint.
- Reply within 21 days of receipt of your complaint (or within 21 days of the meeting at (d) above) unless notified of a different timescale.At this point, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again to explain why you remain unhappy with our responses and we will review your comments.
- We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your comments with our final position on your complaint.
- If you are still not satisfied, then 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.
In normal circumstances you are required to register a complaint within one year. You must then give us 8 weeks to try to resolve your complaint before contacting the Legal Ombudsman. A complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must normally be made within six months of the date of the conclusion of the Firm's complaints procedure. In summary:
- You must register your complaint with us within one year of the act or omission being complained about, or one year from the date when you should have realised that there was cause for complaint.
- The Legal Ombudsman expects you to give us 8 weeks to try to resolve your complaint
- After this time, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman (but you must do so within 6 months)
The Legal Ombudsman is allowed to exercise discretion to extend the one year time limit for specific clients if, on the evidence, it is fair and reasonable to do so.
Contact details
Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9.00 to 17.00. Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
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.
Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.