Complaints Policy

1. Policy Statement

Bespoke Law Services (“BLS”) recognises that there may be occasions when a complaint is received from a client. The complaint may pertain to the legal work carried out. This policy outlines how such complaints will be managed in a fair, prompt, and transparent manner.

2. Aims

BLS is committed to:

  • Addressing complaints promptly and within any stated timeframes.
  • Handling complaints fairly and reasonably.
  • Providing clients with a clear understanding of the procedure to be followed during the complaint-handling process.

3. Policy and Procedure Details

3.1 Submission of a Complaint

  • Complaints should be directed to the Director, William Dalton, at the following address: Bespoke Law Services, Burns House, Harlands Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 1PG and email will@bespokelawservices.co.uk
  • Verbal complaints received by BLS must be fully documented in the client’s file.
  • BLS will acknowledge the complaint by telephone, email, or letter within 24 hours of receipt.

3.2 Handling the Complaint

  • If the complaint cannot be resolved by telephone, clients will be invited to submit the complaint in writing.
  • Within seven days of receiving a written complaint, BLS will inform the client that the matter is under investigation and provide a full response within 28 days.
  • The investigation will review the history of the matter, address the client’s concerns, and propose a suitable course of action.

3.3 Escalation

  • Clients will be advised of their right to escalate the matter to the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH, within six months of receiving the final response from BLS, or if no response is received within eight weeks.

4 Complaints Alleging Negligence

  • BLS will contact the client by telephone, email, or letter within 24 hours of receiving the complaint. If contact is not possible, a record of the attempt and any message left will be documented.
  • If the matter cannot be resolved by telephone, clients will be asked to submit the details of the complaint in writing.
  • Within seven days of receiving the written complaint, BLS will notify the client that an investigation is underway and provide a substantive response within 14 days.
  • Regardless of the amount claimed, BLS will notify its insurers upon:
  1. Receipt of a writ or a letter indicating proceedings will be issued.
  2. Discovery of circumstances that could give rise to a claim, even if a complaint has not yet been made.
 

5 Complaints via the Council of Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) or Legal Ombudsman

  • BLS will acknowledge receipt of the complaint to the CLC or Legal Ombudsman within three days by telephone and in writing.
  • Review the conduct and history of the matter.
  • Investigate the file and case management records.
  • Prepare a report and forward it to the CLC/Legal Ombudsman within eight days.
 
The CLC/Legal Ombudsman will:
  • Acknowledge BLS’s response and send a copy to the client within three days of receipt.
  • Request the file if the client is unsatisfied with the response. 
BLS will:
  • Copy and send the file to the CLC/Legal Ombudsman within eight days of the request.

5.1 External Case Review

  • The CLC/Legal Ombudsman will appoint an external caseworker to review the file and prepare a report within ten weeks.
  • Upon completion of the report, copies will be sent to all parties.
  • BLS will have 21 days to review the report and respond to the CLC/Legal Ombudsman.
  • The Investigating Committee will review the matter and notify all parties of its decision within 28 days of the meeting.
  • BLS will maintain a record of all written complaints on a centralised spreadsheet.

6 Our Guidelines for Responding to Complaints

The CLC advises the following considerations when addressing complaints:

  • Recognise that the complainant may have a genuine grievance, even if it appears unjustified.
  • Offer an apology where appropriate, even if it is only to acknowledge the complainant’s dissatisfaction.
  • Avoid rushing a response that may later be regretted.
  • Ensure responses are objective, clear, and concise.
  • Avoid defensiveness and address all issues raised, no matter how minor.
  • Refrain from raising unrelated issues.
  • Explain the actions taken and their justification.
  • If the investigation reveals a shortfall in service standards, propose a resolution.
  • For complaints alleging negligence, ensure that insurers are notified per the master policy.