Complaints

Our aim

We aim to deal promptly, fairly and effectively with any complaint a client may have about any aspect  of our service.

Our complaints handling policy

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 service. There is no question of  any charge being made for the time taken to resolve a complaint.

How to complain

If you have a complaint, please give the details (by letter, email or telephone) to the Managing Director with whom you feel you have the closest relationship. All complaints received by us are recorded.

Where a quick resolution of your complaint is possible

It is possible that, after investigation, the Managing Director to whom you first notified your complaint can quickly  resolve it to your satisfaction, in which case s/he will record in writing to you, within 7 days of your first contacting us, the agreed manner of resolution. If, however, your complaint is not resolved to your complete satisfaction within 7 days of your first contacting us, you should notify (by letter, email or telephone) the Managing Director first contacted by you that you require your complaint to be investigated by another senior member.

What will happen next?

1. Another Senior member will then investigate your complaint. They will:
   1. send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint (within three days of your  requesting an investigation of your complaint by another senior member) and enclosing a copy of this procedure; and
   2. nominate a member of staff unconnected with your matter to review your matter file.
2. The Senior member nominated to investigate your complaint will then invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. S/he will do this within 14 days of the Managing Director’s sending you the acknowledgement letter.
3. Within three days of the meeting, the Managing Director who met with you will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions s/he has agreed with you.
4. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, the senior member nominated to deal with your complaint will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including his/her suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of the Managing Director’s sending you the acknowledgement letter.
5. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should (by letter, email or telephone) contact our Managing Director, Andrew McArthur, and he, will review the decision.
6. The reviewing Managing Director will write to you within 14 days of receipt of your request for a review,  confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
7. If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman:
   • by letter at: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH
   • by telephone at: callers from UK: 0300 555 0333 / callers from overseas: +44 121 245 3050 by email at: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
   • The Legal Ombudsman may be prepared to investigate your complaint if you satisfy the relevant  criteria. You must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
     • within six months of receiving a final response from us to your complaint;
     • and
     • no more than one year from the date of act/omission; or
     • no more than one year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for  complaint.

1. 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. For more details visit https://www.sra.org.uk and  https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page

If we have to change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why.

Complaints not by clients

We aim to deal promptly, fairly and effectively with any complaint a non-client may have about any  matter relating to our business as solicitors.

If you are a non-client who makes a complaint to us we will follow a procedure appropriate to the  nature of the complaint, which will include a review of the complaint by a Managing Director designated by us to investigate non-client complaints. That partner will contact you usually within 14 days of receipt of  your complaint to confirm our position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.

If you are still dissatisfied, the Legal Ombudsman may be prepared to investigate your complaint if  you satisfy the relevant criteria (please see further details in paragraph 7 above).

You may at any time make a report to the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (please see further details in  paragraph 8 above).