Complaints Policy

3.1 You can contact us in writing (by letter or email) or by telephone.

3.2 In the first instance, it may be helpful to contact the person dealing with your matter, who will do their best to resolve your concerns. If you do not feel able to discuss your concerns with them, please contact the person responsible for the overall supervision of your matter, who will be named in the client care letter we sent you at the beginning of your matter.

3.3 If you do not feel able to raise your concerns with either of these people, or you are unsatisfied with their response, please contact our Designated Complaints Handler, Paul D'Ambrogio:

3.4 To help us understand your complaint, please tell us:

• 3.4.1your full name and contact details;
• 3.4.2what you think we have got wrong;
• 3.4.3how you would like your complaint to be resolved; and
• 3.4.4your file reference number (if you have it).

3.5 If you require any help in making your complaint we will try to help you.

4.1 We will write to you within two working days acknowledging your complaint. Your complaint will be recorded in the firm's Complaints Register and a separate file will be opened.

4.2 Within five working days of receiving your complaint, we will investigate and send you a letter explaining how we propose to deal with it. This will usually involve:

• 4.2.1reviewing your complaint;
• 4.2.2reviewing your file(s) and other relevant documents; and
• 4.2.3liaising with the person who dealt with your matter.

4.3 We may also need to ask you for further information or documents. If so, we will ask you to provide the information within a specific period of time.

4.4 We will update you on the progress of your complaint at appropriate times.

4.5 We may, if appropriate, invite you to a meeting to discuss your complaint, to take place no later than fourteen working days after first receiving your complaint. You do not have to attend if you do not wish to or are unable to. Within three working days of any meeting, we will write to you confirming what took place and any offer of redress.

4.6 We will aim to provide a final decision within six weeks of receiving your complaint (or sooner if possible).

5.1 If you are unhappy with our final decision, you may notify us and we will review our decision again. The result of any appeal will be communicated within five working days of receiving your appeal.

5.2 If we have not resolved your complaint within eight weeks, you may contact the Legal Ombudsman. You must do so within six months of the end of our Internal Complaints Handling Procedure. The Legal Ombudsman service is available to individuals, micro-enterprises, charities and trusts with income/assets below £1 million, and certain other categories.

5.3 Legal Ombudsman contact details:

5.4 Time limits for contacting the Legal Ombudsman: within six months of receiving our final response; and no more than one year from the date of the act or omission, or from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

5.5 Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) bodies exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should both you and our firm wish to use such a scheme. You are welcome to raise this option with us.

6.1 We will not charge you for handling your complaint.

6.2 Please note that if we have issued a bill for work done on the matter, and all or some of the bill is not paid, we may be entitled to charge interest on the amount outstanding. This is explained in our Terms of Business.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can help if you are concerned about our behaviour — for example, dishonesty, taking or losing your money, or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability, or other characteristic.

For more information about our SRA authorisation, see our Regulatory Information.