Complaints Handling Process.
We pride ourselves in providing a professional, efficient and courteous legal service to all our clients. Any expression of dissatisfaction about the service you receive will be considered seriously, and replied to promptly.
If you feel that we have failed to meet these standards, we would like you to tell us. We will investigate your concerns objectively to try and generate a positive and quick solutions, and any complaints we receive are an opportunity to monitor and improve our services.
What to do if you have a complaint
If you’re unhappy with the service provided by your solicitor, we would always ask you to raise your concerns with your solicitor in the first instance to allow them to rectify any issues you may have.
If your solicitor is unable to resolve your issue, you can ask that your case is referred to the solicitor’s supervising partner or manager. The name of the supervising partner or manager can be found in your Client Care Agreement, which is the initial document we send to you when you instruct us.
If you no longer have this document, our Client Care team can assist with this information and can be reached on 01273 726951.
In order for the supervising partner or manager to consider your complaint, you will need to submit the complaint in writing either by email to [email protected], or by post to:
Britton and Time Solicitors
39 Church Road
Hove
BN3 2BE
Having your written complaint helps us to understand the nature of your concerns and your perspective on your matter.
Once we have this, the supervising partner or manager will consider your complaint, carry out an investigation and will provide a final resolution within ten business days. If the matter is complex and requires further investigation, we will contact you within ten business days of receiving your written complaint to give you an approximate timescale of when you can expect a response. If we believe it would be helpful, we may suggest a meeting.
In exceptional circumstances, it can take up to a maximum of 8 weeks for a complaint to be resolved. The vast majority of cases are resolved under our normal timeframes.
If, following the final resolution from the supervising partner or manager’s investigation, you remain dissatisfied with their response, you should refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.
If there are any circumstances which make it difficult for you to make a complaint in writing, please call our Client Care team on 01273 726951 who will take down the details of your complaint. The Client Care team will ensure that your complaint about the service provided by Britton and Time Solicitors is carefully examined and resolved as quickly as possible.
Escalating your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman
If you are not satisfied with the final response of the supervising partner or manager, you may refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman (LeO). The LeO expects complaints to be made to them within:
- 6 months of receiving a final complaint response from the law firm; and
- 1 year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or
- 1 year from the date when the complainant should have realised that there was a cause for complaint
The Legal Ombudsman’s contact details are as follows:
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
From overseas: +44 121 245 3050
Minicom: 0300 555 1777
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Postal Address:
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ
Have a complaint to make? Speak to our team directly.
Tell us what’s wrong so we can start working towards a resolution.