Policy
Bespoke Law Services (known as “BLS”) recognises that there will be occasions when complaints will be received from customers. These may be in respect of the actual legal work carried out, but more usually, will be to do with customer service issues.
Aims
- To deal with the complaint promptly and within any time scales stated
- To deal with the complaint fairly and reasonably
- To provide the customer with details of the procedure that will be followed by BLS during the handling of the complaint
Details of the policy and procedure
- Complaints should be directed to William Dalton at the following address, Bespoke Law Services, Burns House, Harlands Road, Haywards Heath, RH15 1PG
- Details of any verbal complaint receive by BLS should be fully recorded on the clients file
- BLS will contact the client by telephone on the same day that the complaint is received. If it is not possible to contact the customer a record should be made of the time the attempt was made and a message left if possible.
- If the complaint cannot be dealt with on the telephone the customer will be invited to put details of the complaint in writing to BLS
- Within 7 days of the written complaint being received BLS will write to the customer to advise the matter is being investigated and a full response will be given within 28 days
- BLS would review the history of the matter and seek to address the points made by the customer and suggest a course of action
- The customer should also be advised that they can write to the Legal Ombudsman, at Edward House, Quay Place, Birmingham, B1 2RA
Where the complaint is received from the customer and it is alleging negligence
- BLS will contact the customer by telephone the same day the complaint is received. If it is not possible to contact the customer, a record will be made of the time the attempt made and a message left if possible.
- If BLS cannot resolve the complaint on the telephone the customer will be invited to put the details of the complaint in writing
- Within 7 days of the written complaint being received BLS will write to the customer to advise the matter is being investigates and that a substantive response will be given within 14 days
- Regardless of the amount claimed by the customer, the insurers must be notified where there is receipt of a writ/letter indicating proceedings will be issued or circumstances are discovered that could give rise to a claim even though the complaint has not yet been made
Where the complaint is received from the customer via the Council of Licensed Conveyancers or Legal Ombudsman
- BLS should acknowledge the letter detailing the complaint to the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) by telephone and in writing within 3 days of its receipt
- BLS will review the conduct and history of the matter
- Having investigated the file and case management system records BLS will prepare a report and forward this to the CLC/Legal Ombudsman within 8 days of receipt of the complaint from the CLC/Legal Ombudsman
- The CLC/Legal Ombudsman will acknowledge the response and send the customer a copy of the response within 3 days of receipt of it
- If the customer is not satisfied with the response the CLC/Legal Ombudsman will request the file and BLS will send this to the CLC/Legal Ombudsman within 8 days of receipt of their request
- BLS will arrange for the files to be copied and the copies sent to the CLC/Legal Ombudsman. The original file will be retained by BLS as this belongs to the customer
- The CLC/Legal Ombudsman will nominate an external case worker to review the file and prepare a report. The case worker is allowed ten weeks to complete the report
- Once the report is complete, copies of it will be sent to both parties
- BLS has 21 days in which to review the report and make a response to the CLC/Legal Ombudsman
- The CLC/Legal Ombudsman will place the complaint before the next available meeting of the Investigating Committee
- The parties will be advised of the Committee’s decision within 28 days of the meeting
- BLS will keep a record of all written complaints on a spreadsheet
The CLC advise the following points should be considered when responding to a complaint
- Accept that the complainant may have a grievance however unjustified you may this it is
- In the first instance most complainants are looking for an apology from you even if it is only to acknowledge that you are sorry that they feel they have cause to complain
- Do not rush a response which you may later regret
- Consider how you intend to respond considering that a copy will be sent to the complainant and is likely to be placed before the Investigating Committee
- Be objective
- Do not be defensive
- Address all issued however minor
- Avoid raising other issues
- Respond in a clear and logical manner
- Keep to the point
- Explain what action you took and why
- If you consider after investigating that the service fell short of your normal standard, consider how to resolve it
If the complaint is negligent confirm that you have notified insurers in accordance with the master policy
Legal Ombudsman Contact Details:
https://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/contact-us
enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk