This Complaints Handling Procedure tells you how we will deal with your complaint and how long it is likely to take. It also provides important information about what you can do if you are not happy with the way in which we are dealing with your complaint, or about our final decision. Our Complaints Policy contains further information about what you can expect from us when you make a complaint.
If you have any concerns about our service, our work, or our charges, you should discuss these first with the individual who has day-to-day control of your matter.
If this person cannot satisfactorily address your concerns and you wish to make a complaint, please contact our Designated Complaints Handler Rachel Dyson.
You can write to:
Freers Askew Bunting Solicitors Limited, 17-25 Baker Street, Middlesbrough, TS1 2LF. Or send an email to rachel.dyson@freersaskewbunting.com.
Within two working days of receiving your complaint, your complaint will be recorded in our Complaints Register and a separate file will be opened in which we will store any correspondence and other documents relating to your complaint. Within five working days we will also send you a letter acknowledging your complaint.
Within seven working days of receiving your complaint, we will review your file(s) and any other relevant documentation and send you a letter telling you how we propose to deal with your complaint. Examples of what we might say in this letter are as follows:
Whichever form our investigation takes, we will aim to give you our final decision within six weeks of receiving your complaint (or sooner if possible).
If you are not satisfied with our final decision, please let us know and we will review our decision again. We will let you know the result of any appeal within five working days of receiving your appeal.
If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman about your complaint provided you do so within twelve months of the end of our Internal Complaints Handling Procedure.
In addition, there are time limits relating to the date you first became aware or should have become aware of the problem. The relevant time limits are set out in the version of the Legal Ombudsman's Scheme Rules in force from time to time (which can be accessed: by clicking here or by contacting the Legal Ombudsman using the contact details provided below) and may only be extended by the Legal Ombudsman in exceptional circumstances.
Ordinarily, you cannot use the Legal Ombudsman unless you have first attempted to resolve your complaint using our internal Complaints Handling procedure, but you will be able to contact the Legal Ombudsman if:
If you wish to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman you must be one of the following:
If you are not, you should be aware that you can only obtain redress by using our Complaints Handling Procedure or by mediation or arbitration, or by taking action through the Courts.
Address: PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
In some cases complaints can be dealt with by our regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
They can help if you are concerned about behaviour of solicitors or firms which breach the SRA principles which include acting fairly, honestly, with integrity and in the best interests of their clients. Visit their website using the SRA link www.sra.org.uk to see how you can raise concerns with them.
