Client Complaints Procedure

We aim to deliver a first-class service to all our clients. We care greatly about our clients’ opinions of us and welcome feedback. This procedure sets out how we manage client complaints to ensure that they are dealt with in a professional and efficient way.

Who can make a complaint?

This procedure is for clients for whom we act or have acted for on a matter.

Who should I address my complaint to?

In the first instance, we suggest you speak to the Partner handling your matter to try to resolve the issue.

If the issue cannot be resolved and you want to make a formal complaint you will need to set out the issue in writing. Please address your complaint to Richard Tinham, the firm’s Managing Partner and Compliance Officer for Legal Practice who has responsibility for handling complaints. Please send your email to complaints@wslaw.co.uk
If we need further information, we will let you know.

Data Protection Complaints

If you wish to make a complaint relating to data protection, please use our Data Protection Complaints Form.

What will Winckworth Sherwood do?

We will acknowledge your formal complaint within two working days. We will investigate your complaint and conclude our procedure within four weeks of receipt of your complaint. If we require further time to conclude our procedure, we will let you know.

Next steps

If we cannot resolve your complaint in a way that is satisfactory to you within eight weeks of it being raised with us, you may be able to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman who investigates complaints about service issues with lawyers. Information about the Legal Ombudsman Scheme (including who may make a complaint and the types of complaint that it considers) is published on the Legal Ombudsman’s website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

There are time limits for making a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman although before accepting a complaint for investigation it will expect you to have exhausted our complaints procedure.

If you are unhappy with the outcome of our investigation you have six months from receipt of our final response to your complaint to raise the matter with the Legal Ombudsman.

In addition, complaints should be made within one year of the date of the act or omission being complained about; or within one year from the date when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

The Legal Ombudsman can be contacted by:

Post: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 0EH

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Telephone: 0300 555 0033

If your concerns relate to a bill you also have a right to object to a bill by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. There are time limits that you will need to comply with.

If you think the firm or one of our members of staff has breached one of the SRA Principles you may make a complaint to the SRA:

https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/