Our opening hours are 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday
Out of hours emergency number 01642 954444
01642 440444 info@ahmsolicitors.co.uk

COMPLAINTS HANDLING POLICY

Our Complaints Policy

We are committed to providing high quality legal services to our clients and this includes a commitment to putting things right when they go wrong.  This policy explains how we will deal with any complaint.  

Our Complaints Procedure

If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you have received, please speak to the person who has been acting for you.  The majority of issues can be resolved quickly and amicably at this stage.

If the issue cannot be resolved, please contact our complaints partner, Julianne Askins.  You can contact her at 35 High Street, Normanby, TS6 0LE or e-mail at julianne.askins@ahmsolicitors.co.uk.  It is helpful to put your concerns in writing, but if you would prefer not to, or if you would find it difficult, she can be contacted by phone on 01642 440444.

If you have special needs which we should take into account due to language or disability, please let us know.

Charges

Please note there will be no charge for the investigation of a complaint.

What happens next?

  • We will acknowledge your complaint in writing and send you a copy of our Complaints Procedure within three working days.
  • We will then investigate the complaint.
  • We aim to complete our investigation within 28 days of receiving the complaint and we will write to you with the outcome.  For example, if your complaint is straight-forward we may suggest ways of how we can put things right or offer some form of redress, or if your complaint is more complicated, we may ask you to clarify any issues.
  • We will review and close the complaint within 8 weeks of receiving the complaint.

The object of the complaint’s procedure is to ensure that you:

  • Receive a prompt response.
  • Are satisfied that the complaint is being dealt

with seriously.

  • Feel assured that the matter is being reviewed.
  • Are notified as soon as possible of the outcome.

Legal Ombudsman

The Legal Ombudsman will expect you to have given your lawyer a chance to resolve your complaint before it will get involved.  If you do not agree with the outcome of our complaints process you can then complain to the Legal Ombudsman.  If we are unable to resolve your complaint, then you can have the complaint independently looked at by the Legal Ombudsman.  The Legal Ombudsman investigates complaints about service issues with solicitors.  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.  You can contact the Legal Ombudsman by: Telephone 0300 555 0333, email on enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or by post to Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH. 

If you need information in another language, large print, Braille or audio CD please call  0121 245 3071 or email:

publications@legalombudsman.org.uk.

You also have a right to complain about or challenge your bill by applying for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. The Legal Ombudsman may not consider a complaint about a bill if you have applied to the court for assessment of that bill.