COMPLAINTS

This Complaints Handling Procedure tells you how we will deal with your complaint and how long it is likely to take. It also provides important information about what you can do if you are not happy with the way in which we are dealing with your complaint, or about our final decision. Our Complaints Policy contains further information about what you can expect from us when you make a complaint.

Our Complaints Policy

Dallas and Richardson Solicitors Limited are committed to providing a high-quality service to all our clients. We want to give you the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy concerned about the service we have provided then you should inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem.

Designated Complaints Handler: If you have any concerns about our service, our work, or our charges, you should discuss these first with the individual who has day-to-day control of your matter.

If this person cannot satisfactorily address your concerns and you wish to make a complaint, please contact our Designated Complaints Handler, Viki Barry, Director.

You can write to –

Viki Barry

Dallas and Richardson Solicitors Limited

Suite 4c

1 Old Hall Street

Liverpool

L3 9HF

Or send an Email to viki.barry@dallasandrichardson.co.uk

Step One: Acknowledging your Complaint: Your complaint will be handled courteously and promptly at every stage, and as far as is practicable in accordance with the following timescales:-

1. You will receive an acknowledgement within 10 working days of receipt of the complaint and
2. You will receive a response addressing the issues raised in the initial letter of complaint within 30 working days from its receipt.

Step Two: Investigating your Complaint: Within 30 working days of receiving your complaint, we will review your file(s) and any other relevant documentation and send you a response addressing the issues raised telling you how we propose to deal with your complaint. Examples of what we might say in this letter are as follows:

• If your complaint is straightforward, we might make suggestions as to how we can put things right or we may offer you some form of redress;
• If your complaint is more complicated, we might ask you to confirm, explain or clarify any issues;
• We may ask to meet with you to discuss things face-to-face and we would hope to be in a position to meet with you no longer than fourteen working days after first receiving your complaint. This is an alternative method of dispute resolution known as mediation or conciliation. If you would prefer not to meet, or if we cannot arrange this within an agreeable timescale, we will write to you fully setting out our views on the situation and making suggestions as to how we can put things right, or asking you to confirm, explain or clarify any issues within 30 working days of receiving your complaint. Within 15 working days of any meeting, we will write to you again to confirm what took place and to confirm any offer of redress that we have

Step Three: Appealing against our Final Decision: If you are not satisfied with our final decision, please let us know and we will review our decision again. We will let you know the result of any appeal within 15 working days of receiving your appeal.

Step Four: What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint. If you are still not satisfied, the Legal Ombudsman can help if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case.

Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:-

• Within 6 months of receiving a final response to your complaint and
• No more than 6 years from the date of act/omission or
• No more than three years when you should have reasonably have known there was cause for

If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please contact them.

Contact details: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9.00 to 17.00 Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Legal Ombudsman P.O. Box 6806, Wolvemhampton, WV1 9WJ

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.

Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority : www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.

Please feel free to contact us at any point to discuss your complaint. We are extremely committed to providing an excellent level of service.