What if something goes wrong?

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients.  When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it.  This will help us to improve our standards.  If you have a complaint, in the first instance discuss this with the person who is dealing with your matter.   

If this does not resolve matters, please escalate your concerns to our risk and compliance manager whose details are Leila@freisolicitors.com.  

Making a complaint will not affect how your legal matter is dealt with. 

What will happen next?

1. The risk and complaince manager will contact you either in writing, e-mail or telephone to acknowledge your concerns within 5 working days of initial contact.  
2. Following an initial acknowledgement, you will be contacted and an understanding of your concerns will be set out to you.  These two steps may be combined in that you may receive an acknowledgement which also sets out the understanding of your complaint.  You may be asked to provide any further comments, or further information and you will be asked to confirm that the understanding is correct.  You will also be asked how you would like to resolve your complaint.  This will happen within 5 working days of the initial acknowledgement of the complaint.  If you do not confirm that the understanding is correct within 7 days, it will be assumed that the summary is correct and the practice manager will move to the next stage. 
3. The risk and compliance manager may speak with the person involved if it is necessary to address your concerns and a review of your file will be undertaken.  This action will  take place within 21 working days of your providing further information or clarification that the summary is correct.  
4. The risk and compliance manager will then write to you setting out their view of your complaint and making any proposal for resolution, within 7 working days of completing the review.  You will be asked to provide any further comments and to consider any resolution that is being proposed.
5. If you provide any further comments, these will be addressed within 7 working days of receipt of those further comments.  

NB The timescales are subject to the risk and compliance manager’s availability, for example they may have to change to allow for holiday or absence from the office.  If the timescale needs to change you will be advised accordingly.  

What will it cost?

There will be no charge to you handling your complaint.  If you have a bill that is outstanding with the firm, making a complaint will not have any effect on that.  The firm may still pursue it in accordance with their recovery procedure and interest may be charged in line with the terms of business.

What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint

We have 8 weeks in which to deal with your complaint.  If we do not deal with it within this timeframe or if you still remain unhappy, you can raise your concerns with the Legal Ombudsman whose contact details are as follows:

Legal Ombudsman

PO Box 6806

Wolverhampton

WV1 9WJ

Tel: 0300 555 0333

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

A referral must be made to the Legal Ombudsman within 6 months of the date of the letter confirming the investigation has come to an end and your file is closed in relation to the complaint that has been dealt with. 

In addition, the Legal Ombudsman expects complaints to be made to them within one year of the date of the act or omission about which you are concerned or within one year of you realising there was a concern.

Alternative complaints bodies (such as Promediate) exist which are able to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and we wish to use such a scheme, however, the firm would not agree to using an alternative complaint body. 

What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour

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. 

They can be contacted via their website: SRA | Contact us | Solicitors Regulation Authority