Complaints Procedure
We trust that the service that we provide will be to your satisfaction. If, however, you are dissatisfied and we cannot resolve matters on an informal basis this Firm operates a complaints handling procedure under the supervision of the Principal of the firm, Mr Ian Bond, to whom a formal complaint in writing should be addressed. If the complaint is against Mr Bond himself the complaint should be addressed to the senior assistant solicitor at the firm Mr Philip Rowley. Any complaint will be dealt with in accordance with the firms Complaints Handling Procedure and you will receive a copy of that written policy within 3 days of receipt of your complaint.
If, after the steps required by the Policy have been taken, your complaint has not been resolved you can contact the Legal Ombudsman (PO Box 6806 Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ / enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk). There are time limits on when you can complain to the ombudsman. Your complaint should be brought to the ombudsman no later than 12 months from when the problem occurred or from when you should reasonably have become aware of the problem. Further, you should consult the ombudsman within 6 months of receiving a final response about your complaint from us.
The firm is also subject to the provisions of the Solicitors Code of Conduct 2011. Should you wish to obtain a copy of the code you can do so by visiting the website of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (www.sra.org.uk).
Complaints about a bill
You are entitled to complain about your bill. In the first instance, please speak to Mr. Bond about your complaint in accordance with our complaints procedure which is set out below. You may also have a right to object to the bill by making a complaint to the Legal Complaints Service within six months of the end of the work, and/or by applying to the court for an assessment under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. This procedure can be used for any work done by a solicitor, including court work, and is known as "applying for a detailed assessment". You can ask for a detailed assessment between one month and a year of getting your bill, before paying in full. You may have to pay further costs to use the procedure, but if the court reduces the bill by more than twenty per cent, you will not have to pay for the assessment.
If a bill remains unpaid after a an unsuccessful or partially successful complaint is made, we will begin to charge interest on the outstanding sum from the 29th day on which it is unpaid, at the rate of 8 per cent per annum (in accordance with the Judgment Debts (Rate of Interest) Order 1993 SI 93/564).