Appendix 1:9 COMPLAINTS HANDLING POLICY AND PROCESS V1.4
Our Complaints Handling Policy
We want to give you the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service, we provided then you should inform us immediately so that we can do our best to resolve the problem. We will do our best to address any dissatisfaction that you have experienced in using the services of our Firm. Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case. Our primary objective is to put things right.
Our complaints process
STAGE 1 – Preliminary Concern
In the first instance, please raise your concerns directly with the person working on your case or transaction by email, post or over the telephone.
If you feel that it is too delicate for you to raise this directly with them, or they have not addressed all your concerns to your satisfaction, you should raise your concerns with their supervising Partner whose name will be mentioned in our engagement letter to you, sent at the beginning of your case or transaction. Alternatively, you can ring us to request this information.
If neither the person working on your case nor their supervisor can resolve your concerns to your satisfaction, your complaint will move to the next steps.
STAGE 2 – Next Steps
If your concerns have not been resolved to your satisfaction, you can raise your concerns with our Complaints Manager, Llio Phillips. You can contact Llio by post at Cartrefle, Bridge Street, Newcastle Emlyn, SA38 9DX or by e-mail at llio@agriadvisor.co.uk.
It is helpful if you put your concerns in writing, but if you would prefer not to, or if you would find it difficult to do so, Llio can be contacted on 01239 710942.
Please let us know if there is any way we can make contact easier for you due to language or disability.
We have included our target times for each stage of the process. Where, for any reason, it is not possible to observe any of these limits we will let you know and explain why.
| Action | Timescale |
| STAGE 1 – Preliminary Concern addressed to the Solicitor
with conduct of your case or his/her Supervisor.
|
|
| Your complaint will be acknowledged in writing by the solicitor
with conduct of your case or his/her supervisor.
|
Within 3 working days of you raising your concern.
|
| A telephone discussion to discuss your concerns will take
place with your solicitor with conduct of your case or his/her supervisor.
|
Within 5 working days of your concern being acknowledged.
|
| The person you talked with will write to you with the outcome of the
telephone discussion including whether or not it has been resolved. (First Stage Outcome Letter).
|
Within 10 working days of the telephone discussion.
|
| STAGE 2 – Raising your complaint with the Complaints Manager
|
|
| If the issue has not been resolved to your satisfaction,
please write to the Complaints Manager direct with details of why it has remained unresolved.
|
You should contact us within 6 months of your First Stage Outcome Letter.
|
| Upon receipt of your communication the Complaints Manager will
write to you acknowledging receipt of your complaint.
|
Within 3 working days of receipt of your written confirmation that the
matter remains unresolved.
|
| The Complaints Manager will investigate the issues and
write to you with the outcome. (Second Stage Outcome Letter)
|
Within 28 days of the complaint being referred to the Complaints Manager.
|
| We will review and close the complaint.
|
Within 8 weeks of receiving the second stage complaint.
|
What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint
If you remain unhappy with our response then you can refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, an independent complaints body established under the Legal Services Act, who can investigate complaints about the legal service you have received from us.
The Legal Ombudsman expects complaints to be made to them within one year of the date of the act or omission about which you are concerned or within one year of you realising there was a concern. You must also refer your concerns to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of our final response to you.
The Legal Ombudsman’s contact details are:
Visit www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call 0300 555 0333 between 10am to 4pm.
Relay UK: 18001 0300 555 0333
Email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Legal Ombudsman PO BOX 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH
Alternative complaints bodies such as ProMediate (http://www.promediate.co.uk/) exist, which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and our firm wish to use such a scheme. If you wish to use mediation instead of the Legal Ombudsman, then you should let us know and we will consider your request at that stage.
What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour
The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help 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. They cannot help with compensation, or handle disputes about fees, debts, or legal disagreements.
Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.