Complaints Procedure
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Morgan Phelps Limited t/a Morgan Phelps Solicitors (“”we/our”) is committed to high quality legal advice and client care. We always welcome feedback from our clients and, whilst we use all reasonable endeavours to ensure that our clients’ experiences are positive, we nevertheless want to hear from our clients if they have any cause for complaint.
Morgan Phelps Solicitors’ Complaints Procedure
Our Complaints Procedure is as follows:
(a) the client is invited to contact the firm in writing (letter, fax or email) with;
(i) their full name and contact details;
(ii) their file reference number;
(iii) details of their complaint; and
(iv) what they hope to achieve as a result of the complaint;
(b) the firm will send the client a letter of acknowledgement within 3 working days of receiving the complaint, enclosing details of the Complaints Procedure;
(c) the firm will investigate the complaint, which may include:
(i) review of the matter by the supervising equity member (or where the complaint relates to this person, an independent equity member);
(ii) dialogue between the person investigating the complaint and the person(s) who dealt with the case being complained of;
(iii) further communications with the client to clarify any areas of investigation (with appropriate timeframes in which to respond to);
(d) the complaint will usually be dealt with in writing, with a detailed reply and suggestions for resolution being sent within 28 days of sending the acknowledgement of the complaint or after the last round of further investigatory communications between the firm and the client;
(e) alternatively, a meeting may be suggested between the complaints handler and the client in order to discuss and with an attempt to resolve the complaint, where:
(i) such offer will be made within 28 days of sending the acknowledgement of the complaint or after the last round of further investigatory communications between the firm and the client;
(ii) the meeting may be in person or over the telephone;
(iii) there is no obligation on the client to attend such form of resolution if they do not wish to do so;
(iv) if a meeting does take place, the complaints handler will write to the client within 3 working days of the meeting taking place confirming what took place and any solutions proposed / agreed;
(f) if the client is not satisfied with the outcome of any written response and/or meeting to the complaint, they should contact the firm within 28 days of receipt of the written response / report of the meeting for review to another equity member;
(g) the firm will write to the client within 28 days of receiving the written request for the review confirming the final position on the complaint and explaining the reasons why;
(h) if the firm does not receive any response to either any initial written response and/or meeting to the complaint and/or any written response to a request for a review, the firm will consider the matter closed;
(i) the client will be notified of any necessary changes to proposed timescales for dealing with a complaint and the reasons why, ideally in advance.
(j) If the firm has been unable to settle the client’s complaint using the internal Complaints Procedure, then the client will be notified in the firm’s final written response of:
(i) their right to complain to the LeO within six months of the date of the firm’s final written response to the complaint (and within one year of the act or omission or within one year of the client realising there was a concern) to the following address:
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ
Telephone: 0300 555 0333 Minicom: 0300 555 1777
Email address: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
(ii) alternative complaints bodies exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both the client and the firm wish to use such a scheme, albeit the firm does not agree to use any of these schemes in the first instance:
Ombudsman Services: http://www.ombudsman-services.org/
ProMediate http://www.promediate.co.uk/
(k) the firm will not charge the client for handling their complaint;
(l) The LeO service is free of charge; and
(m) notwithstanding any ongoing complaint, where an invoice has been raised which remains fully or partially outstanding, the firm reserves the right to charge interest on the outstanding amount.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority
(n) 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 of other characteristic. Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority
(a) the client is invited to contact the firm in writing (letter, fax or email) with;
(i) their full name and contact details;
(ii) their file reference number;
(iii) details of their complaint; and
(iv) what they hope to achieve as a result of the complaint;
(b) the firm will send the client a letter of acknowledgement within 3 working days of receiving the complaint, enclosing details of the Complaints Procedure;
(c) the firm will investigate the complaint, which may include:
(i) review of the matter by the supervising equity member (or where the complaint relates to this person, an independent equity member);
(ii) dialogue between the person investigating the complaint and the person(s) who dealt with the case being complained of;
(iii) further communications with the client to clarify any areas of investigation (with appropriate timeframes in which to respond to);
(d) the complaint will usually be dealt with in writing, with a detailed reply and suggestions for resolution being sent within 28 days of sending the acknowledgement of the complaint or after the last round of further investigatory communications between the firm and the client;
(e) alternatively, a meeting may be suggested between the complaints handler and the client in order to discuss and with an attempt to resolve the complaint, where:
(i) such offer will be made within 28 days of sending the acknowledgement of the complaint or after the last round of further investigatory communications between the firm and the client;
(ii) the meeting may be in person or over the telephone;
(iii) there is no obligation on the client to attend such form of resolution if they do not wish to do so;
(iv) if a meeting does take place, the complaints handler will write to the client within 3 working days of the meeting taking place confirming what took place and any solutions proposed / agreed;
(f) if the client is not satisfied with the outcome of any written response and/or meeting to the complaint, they should contact the firm within 28 days of receipt of the written response / report of the meeting for review to another equity member;
(g) the firm will write to the client within 28 days of receiving the written request for the review confirming the final position on the complaint and explaining the reasons why;
(h) if the firm does not receive any response to either any initial written response and/or meeting to the complaint and/or any written response to a request for a review, the firm will consider the matter closed;
(i) the client will be notified of any necessary changes to proposed timescales for dealing with a complaint and the reasons why, ideally in advance.
(j) If the firm has been unable to settle the client’s complaint using the internal Complaints Procedure, then the client will be notified in the firm’s final written response of:
(i) their right to complain to the LeO within six months of the date of the firm’s final written response to the complaint (and within one year of the act or omission or within one year of the client realising there was a concern) to the following
address:
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ
Telephone: 0300 555 0333 Minicom: 0300 555 1777
Email address: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
(ii) alternative complaints bodies exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both the client and the firm wish to use such a scheme, albeit the firm does not agree to use any of these schemes in the first instance:
Ombudsman Services: http://www.ombudsman-services.org/
ProMediate http://www.promediate.co.uk/
(k) the firm will not charge the client for handling their complaint;
(l) The LeO service is free of charge; and
(m) notwithstanding any ongoing complaint, where an invoice has been raised which remains fully or partially outstanding, the firm reserves the right to charge interest on the outstanding amount.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority
(n) 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 of other characteristic. Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority
(https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/
report-solicitor/).
