Brookson Legal Services (BLS) is 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.
A complaint may be made to BLS about any matter connected with the exercise of the BLS functions or by anyone affected by the actions of BLS. This policy and the supporting procedures aims to:
- Find out what happened
- Satisfy the complainant that their concerns have been addressed, and involve them in decisions about how their complaint is handled
- Make sure a complainant receives an apology where this is appropriate in line with the Principles for Remedy
- Take into account the outcome of any investigation from the complaints in order to improve the way the BLS functions
Our complaints handling procedure
We are confident of providing a high quality service in all respects. However, if you have any queries or concerns regarding the services that you are receiving please raise these concerns in the first instance with the person that is dealing with the everyday conduct of the matter concerned. If that does not resolve the problem then you may raise your concerns with Matt Fryer who is the Group Compliance Director. If you are not satisfied with our handling of your complaint you can ask the Legal Ombudsman (at Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806 Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ) to consider the complaint or the Solicitors Regulation Authority. 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.
We have a procedure in place which details how we handle complaints which is available on our website or otherwise upon request.
All correspondence relating to complaints should be sent to our registered office at: 320 Firecrest Court, Centre Park, Warrington, WA1 1RG.
What will happen when you raise a concern with us?
- We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within five days of your raising your concerns, enclosing a copy of this procedure. If you have any special needs to requirements in relation to your complaint (for example you require documents in braille) please let us know as soon as you raise an issue with us.
- We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to our Complaints Officer, who will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
- The Complaints Officer will then invite you to a meeting to discuss and, it is hoped, resolve your complaint. He will do this within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
- Within three days of the meeting, the Complaints Officer will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions s/he has agreed with you.
- If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, the Complaints Officer will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including his/her suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
- At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again to explain why you remain unhappy with our response and we will review your comments. Depending on the matter we may at this stage arrange for another partner to review the decision.
- We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
- If you are still not satisfied, you can then contact the Legal Ombudsman (using the contact details above) about your complaint.
If we have to change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why.
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.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/
What do to if we cannot resolve your complaint
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:
- Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint
and
- No more than six years from the date of act/omission; or
- No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
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 9am to 5pm.
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
The Legal Ombudsman has also produced a leaflet entitled “Making a complaint” which is available from www.legalombudsman.org.uk/aboutus/publications.html.