Complaints Policy

Version 001 - 01 September 2022

Introduction

A complaint is an oral or written expression of dissatisfaction which alleges that the complainant has suffered, or may suffer, financial loss, distress, inconvenience, or detriment.

It is our sincere hope that you never have to complain about our firm or the service we provide. The very foundation of our business is built upon the principles of excellent customer service. However, we recognise that sometimes a complaint may be unavoidable. Whatever the situation, if you are unhappy about any aspect of our service, please do contact us as soon as possible so that we can put it right for you.

How to Complain

1. In the first instance, please contact the lawyer who handled your file to address your complaint. If you are unable to resolve the complaint, please contact one of our directors, Rebecca Soar or Shani Box, either of whom will look into the complaint for you.

2. Wherever possible, please put your complaint in writing so that it is clearly documented and outlines the full details of your complaint, and send it either by email to compliance@bexleyslaw.com, or by post to Bexleys Law Limited, 25A Borough Street, Castle Donington, Derbyshire, DE74 2LA.

Our Complaints Procedure

1. We aim to resolve any complaint you have as quickly as possible. Once we have received your complaint, we will write to you within 7 days to explain how your complaint will be investigated, if by then a complete response to your complaint has not already been made.

2. If we are unable to respond fully to your complaint within 7 days, we will explain the reason for the delay and you will be advised of the latest date by which a complete answer will be given to your complaint, which will not be more than 28 days from receipt of your complaint.

3. If you have made the complaint verbally, rather than in writing (either by phone or in a meeting), we will set out in our response our understanding of the nature of your complaint. If necessary, we may ask you to clarify or explain any details, and/or suggest a telephone call or meeting to discuss it in further detail.

4. We will then investigate your complaint, examining the relevant file and speaking with members of staff as appropriate. The assessment of your complaint will be based upon a thorough, impartial and fair investigation. We will explain in writing our findings, and, where the complaint is upheld, will offer remedial action or redress. This will be actioned promptly.

5. If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the handling of your complaint, please feel free to contact Rebecca Soar or Shani Box on compliance@bexleyslaw.com, one or other of whom will conduct a separate review of your complaint. You will be advised about the conclusion of this review within 28 days.

Further Redress

6. If, after following the review process, you remain dissatisfied with any aspect of the handling of your complaint, you may contact the Legal Ombudsman directly to ask them to consider the complaint further. They can be contacted at: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ or at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or by phone on 0300 555 0333.

7. Unless it agrees there are good reasons not to do so, the Legal Ombudsman will expect you to allow us, in the first instance, to consider and respond to your complaint in accordance with our procedure set out above.

8. You can refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman up to 6 months after you have received our final written response to your complaint. You can also use the Ombudsman service if we have not resolved your complaint within 8 weeks of us receiving it. A complaint can be referred to the Legal Ombudsman up to 6 years from the date of the act or omission, or up to 3 years after discovering a problem. The Ombudsman only deals with service-related complaints. Any conduct-related complaints will be referred to the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. Further information and guidance is available on the Legal Ombudsman's website at www.legalombudsman.org.uk

9. Alternative complaints bodies (such as ProMediate and ADR Group) exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should you wish to use such a scheme instead. We agree to use both schemes.

Version 001 - 01 September 2022