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Complaints Procedure

Introduction

If you are dissatisfied with the service we have provided then you have the right to complain. You should first raise the complaint with us.  If that is not resolved to your satisfaction, you can raise the complaint with two regulators.

The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) resolves complaints about poor service (e.g., delays, billing issues) by individual solicitors, while the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) sets professional standards and investigates misconduct (e.g., dishonesty, breach of rules). LeO focuses on compensating clients; the SRA focuses on disciplining lawyers.

Before you contact the Legal Ombudsman or the SRA you must first register an official complaint with us. For more information on how the Legal Ombudsman works please  visit the Legal Ombudsman website. For more information about the SRA and how to raise a compliant through them, visit www.sra.org.uk.

Timescales

  • You must register your complaint with us within one year
  • The Legal Ombudsman expects you to give us 8 weeks to try to resolve your complaint and/or for us to make a decision on your complaint
  • After this time, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman (but you must do so within 6 months of our decision)
  • A complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must also be made within a year of the act or omission complained about or within a year of the date on which you realise there was cause for complaint.
  • The SRA sets no time limit for reporting concerns but should be done as soon as possible. If the events you report  took place a long time ago, the SRA may decide that it's not proportionate to investigate the matters now, particularly if they are borderline and they have not received other complaints in the meantime.

Getting Started

To submit a complaint, please provide it in writing and address it our Director in charge of complaints Dianne Heys at dheys@allenhoole.co.uk and include all the information suggested by the Legal Ombudsman - their website includes some useful resources.

How we will handle your complaint

We will

  • within 3 working days acknowledge your complaint
  • if we feel it may help us understand better the issues, we will  ask you for more information
  • gather evidence further to your account; this will usually include obtaining an account from any person who is the subject to your complaint
  • carefully consider the file and any communications between you and your legal team
  • within 8 weeks either resolve or make a decision on your complaint. We will tell you our decision in writing
  • if your complaint is upheld either in full or in part we will determine in consultation with you what remedy can be offered to your satisfaction
  • if you complaint is not upheld you can contact the Legal Ombudsman.

In addition to the Legal Ombudsman, several other complaints bodies exist which are also able to deal with complaints about legal services - these are: Ombudsman Services, ProMediate, or Small Claims Mediation. Information about these alternatives can be found at: