Client complaint information

Complaint procedure

OUR COMPLAINTS POLICY

1. We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service we have provided then you should inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem.  This will also help us to further improve our standards.
2. If you have a complaint, about our service or a bill or both, please contact us with the details. We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it within this time you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman. If you disagree with our advice of the law relevant to your case, it may be appropriate for you to obtain advice from another lawyer rather than use this procedure which is more relevant to service issues.
3. You also have the right to report us directly to the Solicitors Regulation Authority concerning allegations/matters relating to a possible breach of their principles, standards and regulations. To contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority telephone 0370 606 2555, email [email protected] or write to The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham B1 1RN.
4. In the event of any objection or enquiries in respect of our bill you should direct your concerns to us and we will try to resolve them with you and if appropriate we will deal with the matter under our Complaints Handling Procedure. If we are unable to do so, you may:

a. Apply to the court for assessment of your bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974; or

b. Refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167 Slough, SL1 0EH. Telephone 0300 555 0333 or by email at [email protected]

Please note that the Legal Ombudsman may not deal with the complaint about a bill if you have applied to the court for assessment of that bill.

What should I do to make a complaint?

1. In the first instance it may be helpful to contact the person who is dealing with your matter, who will immediately inform their supervisor, and/or contact their supervisor directly to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues at this stage. Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case.
2. If that does not resolve your concern or in the alternative, you can contact us in writing (by letter or email) or by speaking with our Practice Manager, Alison Samuels, who handles our complaints;

• By telephone; 01978 291000
• By emailing; [email protected]
• By writing to

Mrs A Samuels,
Allington Hughes Law,
Practice Manager,
10, Grosvenor Road,
Wrexham,
LL11 1SD.

When contacting us, please provide;

• Your full name, contact details and matter reference number
• Details of your complaint
• What you hope to achieve as a result of your complaint

What will happen next?

1.  We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three working days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve:

• Reviewing your complaint
• Carrying out a full review of your file and other relevant documents
• Speaking with the person who dealt with your matter

3. We may also need to ask you for further information or documents. If so, we will ask you to provide the information within a specific time period.

4. We will send you a formal detailed written response to your complaint, including suggestions for resolving the matter. Whilst the Legal Ombudsman allows eight weeks of receipt of your complaint to reply, we will where possible, attempt to address the matter sooner within 28 working days.

What if I am not satisfied with the outcome?

1. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied with our final response, you should contact us again and we will arrange for a Director or someone unconnected with the matter at the company to review the case and the handling of the complaint.
2. They will write to you within 14 working days of receiving your request for a review of this decision, confirming our final decision on your complaint and explaining our reasons. If we have to change any of the timescale above, we will let you know and explain why.
3. If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman, an independent complaints body established under the Legal Services Act 2007, that deals with legal services complaints, about your complaint, using the contact details shown below;

Legal Ombudsman,
PO Box 6167 Slough,
SL1 0EH.

Telephone: 0300 555 0333

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

4. There are time limits with which complaints must be made to the Legal Ombudsman as indicated below
5. If you wish to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman this must be done within six months of the date of our final response letter. Please be aware that the Legal Ombudsman scheme rules changed from 1st April 2023. From this date, you need to refer a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman no later than one year from the act/omission; or one year from when you should have reasonably have known there was a cause of complaint. The requirement to refer your concerns to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of our final response to you remains the same. For further information, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or at [email protected].

Will I be charged for the handling of my complaint?

1.  We will not charge you for handling your complaint and the Legal Ombudsman service is free of charge.
2. We may be entitled, however to charge interest on the amount outstanding on sums still due and owing in respect of the unpaid element of your bill.

Report a Solicitor

We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). If you feel that we have committed a serious breach of their rules you can report us directly to the SRA. Please follow their guidance on how to make a complaint which you will find on the link below:

 https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/