Complaints Procedure

How to File a Complaint

We strive to provide all our clients with courteous, helpful, and effective service, but we recognize that there may be occasions where we fall short of this standard. For this reason, we have established a complaints procedure to address any concerns. If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, we encourage you to let us know so we can resolve any misunderstandings or rectify any issues. This section outlines the steps to take if you believe something has gone wrong.

Initial Steps if You are Dissatisfied or Concerned

If you are concerned about any aspect of your case, we recommend that you first address the issue with the individual handling your matter. Often, a simple question or reminder about an oversight can resolve the matter swiftly.

If you prefer not to raise the issue with the person handling your case, or if you have already done so and remain dissatisfied, you may contact the head of the relevant department or the partner responsible for your case, whose details should have been provided when we began working with you. Alternatively, you may reach out directly to Cemal Turk cemal.turk@greymore.com, our Managing Partner.

Informal Resolution of Complaints

Not all complaints require a formal process. If your concern relates to an ongoing matter, the individual you have approached, or another lawyer, will investigate the issue as soon as possible. If the problem is a misunderstanding or a minor error that can be corrected quickly, we will aim to resolve it promptly and inform you of the outcome. If we are unable to resolve the issue immediately, we will explain the reasons for the delay. Should the complaint be resolved informally, the matter will be closed, but you are welcome to raise the issue again if further complications arise.

Formal Complaints Process

If we are unable to resolve your complaint informally, whether it was made in writing or verbally, it will be treated as a formal complaint. The following procedure will be followed:

We will acknowledge your complaint in writing within one week (normally within a day or two), informing you that we are investigating the matter and will provide a full response within a further period, usually one to two weeks. If the investigation requires more time than originally anticipated, we will notify you in advance and explain the reasons for the delay.
A senior lawyer will conduct the investigation, beginning with a review of your case file and discussions with the person handling your matter to identify what went wrong and how we can address the issue. The investigation may take longer if, for example:
- There is a large volume of documents to review,
- Key individuals are unavailable,
- We require information from third parties,
- The case is at a critical stage where an investigation may interrupt urgent work,
- There are concerns about potential professional negligence.

Upon completion of the investigation, we will provide you with a written explanation of our findings and the actions we have taken or propose to take in response to your complaint.
If you are dissatisfied with our decision, you may express your concerns, and we will be happy to continue the discussion, either in writing or through a meeting, until a resolution is reached. Our aim is to resolve all complaints within the firm if possible.
The formal complaint process will always be managed or supervised by a partner, although it may not be the same partner at every stage. Typically, a partner or senior lawyer will correspond with you after the investigation and manage the complaint through to resolution.
If you are still not satisfied with the outcome, you may refer the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.

The Legal Ombudsman

The Legal Ombudsman handles complaints about solicitors that remain unresolved within the firm's complaints procedure. The time limits for contacting the Ombudsman, effective from 1 April 2023, are as follows:

You must contact the Ombudsman within one year of the issue you are complaining about, or within one year of discovering the issue.
You must first allow us eight weeks to resolve your complaint.
If you are unsatisfied with our resolution, you can contact the Ombudsman within six months of receiving our final response.

The Legal Ombudsman’s contact details are:

Address: PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH
Phone: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Professional Negligence

As solicitors, we have a duty to carry out our work with reasonable skill and care. If we fail to meet this standard and you suffer a loss as a result, you may have the right to pursue legal action. We are insured for this type of liability, similar to how motorists are required to have insurance.

Occasionally, complaints may involve potential professional negligence, and in such cases, we may need to consult our insurers before providing a full response. We may also advise you to seek independent legal advice from another firm, as we cannot offer impartial advice regarding our own potential negligence. We must ensure that our interests do not conflict with yours in such circumstances.

Disputes Over Our Charges

We aim to keep you informed about the costs of your case and provide estimates when possible, in order to avoid misunderstandings. However, if you are dissatisfied with our charges, you may discuss the matter with the person handling your work or one of our partners. If we are unable to reach an agreement, you may refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman or request that our bill be assessed by the court under the Solicitors Act 1974.

For non-contentious business, we may charge interest on any unpaid amounts after one month. Interest may be applied even if the bill is in dispute, but if the dispute leads to a reduction in charges, interest will be recalculated based on the reduced amount.

If you are receiving legal aid for a non-criminal case, you may have a financial interest in our charges. If you have made a contribution or if the statutory charge applies (e.g., if you have received money or property from the proceedings), you will have an opportunity to query our charges before they are assessed by the court or the Legal Aid Agency.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)

If you are concerned about our conduct, including issues such as dishonesty, mishandling of funds, or discrimination based on age, disability, or any other characteristic, you may raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Investment advice

We are required by the SRA to make the following statement to you.

“We are not authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, and we are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If you need advice on investments while we are acting for you, we may have to refer you to someone who is authorised to give this advice. However, we may provide certain limited investment advice services where these are closely linked to the work, we are doing for you. This is because we are members of the Law Society of England and Wales, which is a designated professional body for the purposes of the Act. The Solicitors Regulation Authority is the independent regulatory arm of the Law Society and the Legal Ombudsman also handles complaints about solicitors. If you are unhappy with any investment advice you receive from us, you should raise your concerns with either of these bodies.”