Client feedback and complaints policy
We are committed to providing a quality service to our clients. We value feedback from clients greatly because it helps us to continually improve our service. If you do not feel that you are receiving excellent client service or that something could be improved, please do tell us about it. If we have fallen short of the high standards which we have set for ourselves then we would like the opportunity to put it right.
What do I do if I have feedback or a complaint?
At first it would be helpful if you could discuss any feedback or concerns which you have about our service or how it might be improved with the lawyer dealing with your matter. If the lawyer dealing cannot resolve your concern informally, or if the issue is of such a serious nature that you do not feel comfortable raising it with your lawyer, then you may discuss this with our complaints partner as a complaint under this policy.
How do I raise a complaint under this policy?
It would help us if you could email our Compliance Officer, Rebecca Cobb on: rebecca.cobb@cobbwarren.com, with:
• why you feel dissatisfied with the service which you have received;
• how you would prefer to be contacted about your complaint;
• if there is anything in particular which you would like us to do to resolve your complaint;
• whether it relates to concerns about how your personal data has been used/ handled.
If you would prefer not to email details of your complaint in this way then please call to discuss the best way to get an understanding of your concerns.
What happens after I have made a complaint under this policy?
For general complaints, we will:
· acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 3 working days of receiving it;
· log your complaint on our central complaints register;
· write to you within 14 working days of receiving your complaint to confirm the outcome of this.
In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to extend these timescales but we will try to agree any variations with you first. If you remain unsatisfied after 8 weeks at the latest we will always ensure that you are reminded at that time of how to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman if you are eligible to do so.
For data protection complaints, we will:
- acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 30 days of receiving it at the latest and will endeavour to do so within 3 working days of receipt;
- where necessary, request proof of your identity and/ or authority to make the complaint if it is made on behalf of someone else;
- provide you with a copy of our privacy notice if you have not already seen it, which can also be accessed on our website here;
- log your complaint on our central complaints register;
- take appropriate steps to respond to your complaint, including making appropriate enquiries and keeping you informed, once the complaint has been received;
- where necessary, arrange a discussion with you to obtain further information and/ or try to agree how to resolve the issues without undue delay;
- keep you updated on the progress of the investigation without undue delay, particularly if it becomes necessary to extend any timescales provided at the outset;
- confirm the outcome of our investigation into your complaint without unjustifiable or excessive delay. We will aim to do this within 30 days of receiving your complaint, but it may be necessary to extend this timescale depending on the circumstances of the complaint. If that is the case, we will notify you accordingly;
- explain what we have done to resolve your complaint and, where appropriate, any actions we have taken as a result.
What might the outcome of my complaint be?
We very much regret any dissatisfaction which our clients experience and will not hesitate to apologise to you where our service has fallen below our high standards. We may also agree that certain steps will be taken to improve your situation and to ensure that any problems experienced will not reoccur.
What if I remain unsatisfied?
If you remain dissatisfied you may be entitled to complain to the Legal Ombudsman about our service, including our charges. This service is not available to all clients however such as large businesses. The Ombudsman would generally expect clients to follow a firm’s internal complaints procedure first.
You can find further information about the Ombudsman on the website www.legalombudsman.org.uk. You can write to the Ombudsman at Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH or by email on enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or call on 0300 555 0333.
If you wish to raise a complaint with the Ombudsman then you should not delay bringing it to their attention once our own complaints process has concluded as there are some time limits on when this must be done. For example, normally you must raise a complaint with the Ombudsman within six months of the date of our final written response to your complaint. You should also be aware that the 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.
Please note that the Ombudsman is there to deal with concerns about the level of service received. Where there are more serious concerns that a solicitor or solicitor’s firm have been involved in professional misconduct then reports can also be made to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the regulator of solicitors and solicitor firms. This could be for quite unusual and serious acts of misconduct such as dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic. Obviously we do not anticipate any such problems arising and would ask that you notify the matter supervisor straight away if you have any such concerns.
You can find out more about the Solicitors Regulation Authority including their contact details and professional conduct rules on their website: https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/
If your complaint relates to how your personal data has been used/handled which we have not been able to address to your satisfaction pursuant to this policy, you may be able to make a complaint to the Information Commission (IC) directly. You can learn more about the IC and personal data rights at: www.ico.org.uk and specifically about complaints in relation to the use of your personal data at: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/data-protection-complaints/.
Complaints by non-clients
If you are not a client of this firm, we will only be able to deal with your complaint if you feel that we have acted in breach of the Solicitors Regulation Authority Standards and Regulations.
If you do have such a complaint, you should send it in writing to our Compliance Officer, Rebecca Cobb, by post to our office address or by email to: rebecca.cobb@cobbwarren.com. It may be necessary to seek further information from you regarding the nature of the alleged breach of the Standards and Regulations before we can investigate.
If we find that a breach has occurred, we will confirm this to you as soon as possible and we will apologise and consider whether any remedial action can be taken. This does not affect your right to report the matter to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (see above).