I am committed to providing high quality legal services to all my clients and dealing effectively with any concerns is part of that service. Whilst I sincerely hope you never have cause for complaint, if something does go wrong, I need you to tell me.
This information is crucial to help me continuously improve standards. This Complaints Policy applies to legal services provided by Elizabeth Caple Law Limited.
How do I complain?
The first step is to either write or speak to me about your matter. I will then deal with your complaint in the following manner.
Investigating your complaint
I shall acknowledge your complaint within 2 working days
I aim to respond in full within 21 days, if I cannot give you a full response within that time I will let you know how long it will take. A thorough investigation will be conducted into the issues raised – an independent review will be carried out of the file and the associated circumstances
I will contact you if I require further information
I may suggest a meeting to discuss your complaint
I will respond to you in writing to set out my findings and where necessary, details of how I propose to resolve your complaint
My overall aim is to resolve all complaints in an 8 week period, hopefully to your satisfaction. If the complaint is not resolved within this timeframe, then you may have recourse to the Legal Ombudsman.
Legal Ombudsman
The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) deals with service complaints from members of the public and very small businesses, charities, clubs and trusts. The LeO generally requires that a firm’s complaints procedure has been exhausted before it will consider a complaint. If the LeO is satisfied that a firm’s proposals for resolving a complaint are reasonable, it may decline to investigate further.
Any complaint to the LeO must usually be made within six months of the end of our complaints process and within six years from the date of the alleged act or omission, or three years from when you should reasonably have known there was a cause for complaint. Please contact the LeO for more information on the time scales for making a complaint.
The Legal Ombudsman's address is: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ; telephone 0300 5550333; email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or view their website at www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
The SRA is a regulatory body within the legal profession, regulating solicitors and those who work in law firms in England and Wales.
Through its Standards and Regulations, the SRA sets the professional rules that those it regulates have to comply with. It deals with cases where firms or those it regulates have breached the SRA Principles.
Anyone can raise concerns of such breaches with the SRA at: https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page
Complaints by non-clients
If you are not a client, we will only be able to deal with your complaint if you are alleging that I have breached the principles or outcomes provided for in the SRA Handbook. Your complaint will be acknowledged in writing within three working days and I will try to ensure that you receive a response within 21 days of me sending you our acknowledgment.