Loney Stewart Holland LLP Complaints Handling Procedure

 

Our complaints policy

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. Should you feel that something has gone wrong, please tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards and seek to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

In the first instance, we would recommend raising any concerns with the solicitor with conduct of your case. However, if you do not wish to do that or you are dissatisfied with the response you have received, you may make a complaint as follows:

  • By post to: Client Care, Loney Stewart Holland LLP, The Mill House, Buchanans Wharf, Ferry Street, Bristol BS1 6LY.

  • By email to: enquiries@loneystewartholland.co.uk using the subject heading ‘Client Care’.

What will happen next?

  1. We will contact you to acknowledge receipt of your complaint within three working days of receiving it.

  2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to the Client Care partner, Alistair Stewart, or another partner at the firm who is best placed to investigate the complaint. The appropriate partner will then review the matter, including speaking to the solicitor who acted for you. We may also need to contact you by email or telephone to ask for further information.

  3. If a meeting is not appropriate, not possible or you do not want a meeting then we would normally expect to be able to send you a full written reply to your complaint, including our suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of acknowledging the complaint. If we are unable to provide a full reply within that period, we will update you and tell you when we expect to be able to.

  4. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you may contact the Legal Ombudsman as described below.

The Legal Ombudsman

If we have not resolved your complaint to your satisfaction within 8 weeks and you are dealing with us as an individual, small business, trust or charity you may be able to complain to the Legal Ombudsman Service. The contact details are as follows:

  • Address: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH

  • Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

  • Phone: 0330 555 0333

  • Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint or within six years of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring (or if outside of this period, within three years of when you should reasonably have been aware of it).

Solicitors Regulation Authority

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help 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 visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Costs

If your concern relates to an invoice that we have raised for our services then you have the right to apply to the court for an assessment of the invoice under the Solicitors Act 1974. Please note that the Legal Ombudsman may decide not to consider any complaint you may have about a bill which has already been referred to the court for assessment.