Complaints Procedure
We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards. We deal with all complaints fairly, promptly and at no extra cost to you.
WHAT IS A COMPLAINT?
A report by a client that their expectations of what they consider to be a good service have not been met. You can also make a complaint about your Bill using the firm’s complaints procedure.
MAKING A COMPLAINT
You can register a complaint with Rebecca O’Donnell, via email at rebecca@odonnellsolicitors.co.uk or by post at O’Donnell Solicitors, 44 High Street, Uppermill, Saddleworth OL3 6HA.
In the first instance, we’d prefer if you write to us with full details of your complaint so that we have a good understanding of the issues being highlighted.
INVESTIGATING THE COMPLAINT
- We will acknowledge the complaint within seven days which allows for any postal delays and notify you who will be handling your complaint.
- We will record your complaint in our central register and open a file for your complaint. We will conduct a full investigation and an independent review of the matter.
- We aim to respond in full within 28 days. However, if the complaint is of a more complex nature we will require more time but we will let you know when you will receive a full response. We may also invite you to meet with the Supervisor to gather more information and resolve the matter.
- We will reply to you, usually in writing to tell you of our views on the complaint and how we propose to resolve it, hopefully to your satisfaction – including appropriate redress – this could include a reduction in fees if appropriate, compensation or a gesture of goodwill.
- If you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, or the way the complaint has been handled, you may write to Anthony Jones, Director – at O’Donnell Solicitors, Applebys Business Centre, 3 Mossley Road, Grasscroft, Oldham OL4 4HH or by email anthony@odonnellsolicitors.co.uk
- Anthony Jones would generally aim to conclude his investigations and write to you with his findings within 28 days. Anthony Jones will inform you of the conclusions and any alternative proposals to resolve the complaint.
- If still unresolved at this stage, you may take the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman. We will issue a final letter advising you of this.
LEGAL OMBUDSMAN
The Legal Ombudsman is the independent body established by the Office for Legal Complaints under the Legal Services Act 2007 to deal with complaints against Solicitors.
The Legal Ombudsman may:
- Investigate the quality of professional service supplied by a solicitor to a client.
- Investigate allegations that a solicitor has breached rules of professional conduct.
- Investigate allegations that a solicitor has unreasonably refused to supply a professional service to a prospective client
- Investigate allegations that a solicitor has persistently or unreasonably offered a professional service that the client does not want.
Before it will consider a complaint the Legal Ombudsman generally requires that the firm’s internal Complaints Procedure (outlined above) has been exhausted. If the Legal Ombudsman is satisfied that the firm’s proposals for resolving a complaint are reasonable, it may decline to investigate further. 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 address and contact details are:
Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH; telephone, 0300 555 0333; website, www.legalombudsman.org.uk; or email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
A complainant to the Legal Ombudsman must be by one of the following:
- An individual;
- A micro-enterprise as defined in European Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003 (broadly, an enterprise with fewer than 10 staff and a turnover or balance sheet value not exceeding €2 million);
- A charity with an annual income less than £1 million;
- A club, association or society with an annual income less than £1 million;
- A trustee of a trust with a net asset value less than £1 million; or a personal representative or the residuary beneficiaries of an estate where a person with a complaint died before referring it to the Legal Ombudsman
If you are not eligible for the Legal Ombudsman Scheme, you have your normal contract rights to pursue a claim through the Courts, or to apply to the Court for an assessment of your bill under part III of the Solicitors Act 1974.
THE SOLICITORS REGULATION AUTHORITY
The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you 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.
You can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
SRA, The Cube
199 Wharfside Street
Birmingham
B1 1RN
