4.1 Herefords Solicitors Ltd operates a two-stage complaints handling procedure. Following our Complaints Procedure, our aim is to always resolve Complaints to your satisfaction at Level One without further recourse to Level Two. If you are not satisfied at the end of Level One, you may escalate your Complaint to Level Two. If you are still not satisfied at the end of Level Two, Complaints may progress to External Resolution as detailed below.
4.2 Level One:
4.2.1 Upon receipt of your Complaint, we will log the Complaint and will acknowledge receipt of it in writing within 14 business days.
4.2.2 If your Complaint relates to a specific member of staff, that person will be informed of your Complaint and given a fair and reasonable opportunity to respond.
4.2.3 If we require any further information or evidence from you, the Complaint Handler will contact you as quickly as is reasonably possible to ask for it. We ask that you use reasonable efforts to supply any such information or evidence quickly in order to avoid delaying the complaints handling process. If you are for any reason unable to provide such information or evidence we will use all reasonable efforts to proceed without it, however please be aware that we will not ask for further information or evidence unless we consider it important to the successful resolution of your Complaint.
4.2.4 We aim to resolve Level One Complaints within 28 business days of our acknowledgement of your complaint, however in some cases, particularly if your Complaint is of a complex nature, this may not be possible. If this is not possible for any reason you will be informed of the delay, the likely length of the delay and the reasons for it.
4.3 Level Two:
4.3.1 If you are not satisfied with the resolution of your complaint at Level One, you may appeal the decision within 5 business days of receipt of our decision, and have the complaint escalated to Level Two. Your Appeal should contain a detailed response to our decision and your reasons for disagreeing with it.
4.3.2 Appeals should be directed to your original Complaint Handler who will forward the request to an appropriate Appeal Handler. Receipt of Appeals will be acknowledged in writing within 14 business days.
4.3.3 If your Complaint relates to a specific employee, that person will be informed of your Appeal and given a further opportunity to respond.
4.3.4 We aim to resolve Level Two Complaints within 28 business days of receipt of your appeal, however in some cases, particularly if your Complaint is of a complex nature, this may not be possible. If this is not possible for any reason you will be informed of the delay, the likely length of the delay and the reasons for it.
4.3.5 As we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Ombudsman you, as our customer, have the right to seek External Resolution of your Complaint from the relevant organisation if you are not satisfied with the outcome of your Level Two Complaint.
4.4 External Resolution:
4.4.1 If you are not satisfied with the resolution of your Complaint at Level Two you may seek External Resolution of your Complaint from the Legal Ombudsman.
4.4.2 The Legal Ombudsman operates the following time limits to review your complaint:
Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint
And;
No more than six years from the date of act/omission; or
No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint
4.4.3 To contact the Legal Ombudsman please call 0300 555 0333 or email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or via their website here: http://www.legalombudsman.org.uk
4.4.4 For details of complaint and conflict resolution mechanisms available from the Solicitors Regulation Authority, please contact them via their website at http://www.sra.org.uk or call their contact centre 0370 606 2555;
