Complaints Policy

Introduction

This policy outlines the procedure for handling complaints received by Farringdon Law Limited.

We are committed to providing a high-quality service to all our clients but understand that conveyancing transactions can be complex and stressful particularly given the numbers of parties and the timescales involved. We will do our best to keep you informed of progress and next steps during the course of your transaction.

Whilst we really appreciate clients taking the time to tell us when we’ve done well, we also recognise that occasionally things can go wrong. Should that happen, this policy sets out how we deal with client complaints, what to expect and the timescales involved.

What is a complaint?

A complaint is a verbal or written expression of dissatisfaction which alleges that the complainant (you) has suffered (or may suffer) financial loss, distress, inconvenience, or detriment.

How to Make a Complaint

We aim to resolve any complaint you may have about our service as quickly as possible and would therefore encourage you to discuss any concerns with your conveyancer in the first instance as they may be the result of a misunderstanding of the process, expectations, progress or timescales which we can help you understand or to resolve.

If you remain unhappy then in order to ensure we fully understand your concerns, we would ask that you send your complaint by email to our Head of Legal Practice, Sarah Debney, via contact@farringdonlaw.com.  If this is not possible, you may contact us by alternative reasonable means (for instance, telephone or letter) using the firm’s contact details provided to you in correspondence, available on our website or via your conveyancer.

Please provide as much detail as possible about your complaint, including:

  • Your name and contact details.

  • Your case reference or the address of the property we are dealing with on your behalf

  • A clear description of your complaint.

  • The names of any individuals involved.

  • What you would like us to do to resolve your complaint.

Our Complaints Procedure

We will follow the procedure set out below to handle your complaint:

  1. Acknowledgement: We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint in writing within 7 days of receiving it. Where possible, we will provide a response at the same time as the acknowledgement.

  2. Investigation and Response: Where a more detailed investigation is necessary, this will be carried out by a senior member of staff who was not directly involved in the matter about which you are complaining. We aim to complete our investigation and send you a detailed written response outlining our findings and proposed resolution within 28 days of receiving your complaint.

  3. Possible outcomes: Your complaint may or may not be upheld, in full or in part, depending on the outcome of our investigation. Where your complaint is upheld, our response will depend on the circumstances and severity but may include an offer of remedial action and/or redress. Where an offer of redress is made, this will be actioned promptly and no later than 28 days from acceptance by you.

  4. Review: If you are not satisfied with our response, you can ask for a review of your complaint. This will involve another senior member of staff, not previously involved, reviewing your complaint and our response. We will provide you with a written outcome of the review within 28 days of receiving your request for a review. This will usually be our final response.

Still Not Satisfied?

If you are dissatisfied with our handling of your complaint, you may contact the Legal Ombudsman to ask them to consider the complaint further.

Unless it agrees there are good reasons not to do so, the Legal Ombudsman will expect you to allow us to consider and respond to your complaint in accordance with the procedure set out above, before they will consider it.

You can contact the Legal Ombudsman using the following details:

Tel no: 0300 555 0333

Email:enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Website: http://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/

Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6167 Slough SL1 0EH

You can refer your complaint up to 6 months after you have received our final written response to your complaint.  You can also use the Ombudsman service if we have not resolved your complaint within 8 weeks of us receiving it.

A complaint can be referred to the Legal Ombudsman up to one year from the date of the act or omission or up to one year after discovering a problem. The Ombudsman deals with service-related complaints; any conduct related complaints will be referred to our regulator, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.

Alternative Complaints Bodies

Alternative complaints bodies (such as ProMediate) exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services.  However, we will not agree to the use of any such alternative scheme unless there is a justifiable reason for you and for us to do so.

Our Commitment

We are committed to investigating and resolving complaints constructively and impartially.  We will treat all complaints seriously and deal with them fairly both in our dealings with you and with any member of our staff about whom you complain.  We will keep a record of, and review, complaints data to improve our services and to try to prevent similar issues from arising in the future.