Our Complaints Policy
We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all of our clients. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.
In the first instance, we ask that you contact the person who is working on your matter to discuss your concerns. They will do their best to resolve any issues at this stage.
If you would like to make a formal complaint, please contact the Managing Director, Paula Bridge, with the details at pbridge@dpblaw.co.uk
You will not be charged for complaining and it will not affect how we handle your matter. We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it within this time you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman.
What will happen next?
- We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within two working days of receiving it, via letter or email, enclosing a copy of this procedure. We will record the complaint in our central register and open a designated complaint file.
- The Managing Director will then investigate your complaint. Your matter file will be reviewed and the member of staff who acted for you may be spoken to.
- Upon completion of the investigation, the outcome together with our findings will be communicated to you in writing and may include suggestions for resolving the matter.
- Alternatively, if considered appropriate, you may be invited for a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. Within five working days of the meeting we will write to you to confirm the issues discussed and any solutions agreed with you.
- We aim to investigate and respond to all complaints, where possible, within 21 working days of acknowledging receipt of your complaint.
- Upon receiving our response, if you remain dissatisfied, you should contact us again within fourteen days and we will arrange for the decision to be reviewed.
- We aim to let you know the result of any review, where possible, within 14 working days of receiving your request and will confirm to you in writing our final position, explaining the reasons for the decision reached.
- The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case.Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman no later than:-
- six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint and
- one year from the date of the act/omission which is the subject of the complaint; or
- one year from the date when you should have known there was cause for complaint.
The Legal Ombudsman will have the discretion to accept out of time complaints in circumstances where it is deemed ” fair and reasonable ” to do so
If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman please contact them:
Contact Details
Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call: 0300 555 0333 – between 9:00 to 17:00
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Post: Legal Ombudsman, PO BOX 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
- If your complaint is in respect of our fees, you also have the right to challenge the fees by applying to the Court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974.
- If you have any concerns regarding our behaviour, such as dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic the Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you.
You can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority at http://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page
If you require further assistance, please contact the Professional Ethics helpline, contact details can be found at https://www.sra.org.uk/home/contact-us/
If for any reason we are unable to comply with the timescales outlined above, we will let you know and explain why.