Complaints

1. We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service.
2. We acknowledge that we may not always get it right, so if something has gone wrong, including in relation to our charges, we need you to tell us. This will help us to improve our standards of service.
3. How do I make a complaint?
   1. You can contact us in writing (by letter or email) or by telephone.
   2. In the first instance, it may be helpful to contact the person who is working on your case (the “Case Handler”) to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues. 
   3. If you feel unable to discuss your concerns with the Case Handler, please contact the Client Complaints Solicitor who, in relation to customer service, reports directly to the Client Care and Supervisory Director, whose name will have been confirmed to you in our Service Plan.
   4. The Client Complaints solicitor will investigate your complaint personally and will liaise with the Director in charge of the department responsible for the work undertaken on your behalf.
   5. So far as it relates to issues of customer service, the Client Complaints Solicitor reports directly to the Client Care and Supervisory Director, who is ultimately responsible for such matters on behalf of the firm. 
   6. The Client Complaints Solicitor is Matthew Large who may be contacted using the following details: matthew.large@merrimansolicitors.co.uk or 02380 226891. 
   7. To help us to understand your complaint, and in order that we do not miss anything, please tell us:
      1. your full name and contact details;
      2. what you think we have got wrong;
      3. how you would like your complaint to be resolved; and
      4. your file reference number (if you have it).
   8. If you require any help in making your complaint, we will try to help you.
4. How will you deal with my complaint?
   1. We will endeavour to write to you within five working days acknowledging your complaint, enclosing a copy of this policy.
   2. We will investigate your complaint. This will usually involve:
      1. reviewing your complaint;
      2. reviewing your file(s) and other relevant documents; and
      3. liaising with the Case Handler who dealt with your matter.
   3. We may also need to ask you for further information or documents. If so, we will ask you to provide the information within a specific period of time.
   4. We may update you on the progress of your complaint at appropriate times.
   5. We may also, if necessary and appropriate, invite you to a meeting to discuss your complaint. You do not have to attend if you do not wish to or if you are unable to. We will be happy to discuss the matter with you by telephone or video conference.
   6. We will write to you at the end of our investigation to tell you what we have done and what we propose to do to resolve your complaint. Where possible, we will aim to do this within 21 days of the date of our letter of acknowledgement.
   7. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for a Director of the firm who has not been involved in your complaint, to review the decision reached. 
   8. We will write to you within 21 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint, and explaining our reasons.
5. What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint
   1. We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it within this time, you may be able to complain to the Legal Ombudsman. This applies if you are an individual, a business with fewer than 10 employees and turnover or assets not exceeding a certain threshold, a charity or trust with a net income of less than £1m, or if you fall within certain other categories (you can find out more from the Legal Ombudsman—www.legalombudsman.org.uk). The Legal Ombudsman will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your matter.
   2. 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:
      1. within six months of receiving our final response to your complaint;

and

2. no more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or
3. no more than one year from the date when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
4. 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 09.00 to 16.00

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH

6. What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour
   1. 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.
   2. Please raise such a complaint in the first instance by following these complaints handling procedure. Alternatively, or if you remain dissatisfied, you may choose to contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority at The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN or by email to report@sra.org.uk (website: www.sra.org.uk).
7. What will it cost?
   1. We will not charge you for handling your complaint.
   2. Please note that if we have issued a bill for work done on the matter, and all or some of the bill is not paid, we may be entitled to charge interest on the amount outstanding. This is explained in our Service Plan.
   3. The Legal Ombudsman service is free of charge.
8. Timescales
   1. If we must change any of the time scales noted above, we will let you know, and explain why.