Complaints Procedure

Introduction

We are sorry if you have experienced a problem with the level of service that you have received from us. If you are dissatisfied with the service we have provided then you have the right to complain. We value all feedback. 

Our Complaints Procedure

Step One:

Umar Zeb is the Complaints Handler for the firm. Please let me know the full nature of the problem. Ideally, your complaint should be confirmed in writing in order that any scope for misunderstanding can be avoided.  However, if you are not able to do this then you may provide the details to me over the telephone or face to face.  If you are able to set out your concerns in writing then you can do this by emailing me at uzeb@jdspicer.co.uk or writing to me at J D Spicer Zeb 140 Kilburn High Road, London NW6 4JD. In some cases in order to avoid a misunderstanding I may deem it necessary to only communicate in writing with you. 

Step Two:

I will write to you acknowledging your complaint. In this letter, I shall confirm the commencement of an investigation.  I will seek to explain what happens next and include information about the process I shall follow to investigate your complaint and the timetable for doing so. We normally aim to acknowledge any complaint within 2 working days. Our investigation of the matter can take between 2 to 4 weeks depending on the complexity of the matter and the number of issues raised. 

Step Three:

We are permitted eight weeks from the date of your complaint to consider and deal with the concern.  However, I will attempt to try and resolve the issue in a much shorter timeframe.  Certainly, within this permitted period, you will receive a substantive response from me addressing each of your complaints and confirming what, if any, action will be taken.  

If I agree that the level of service was not at the level one would expect, I will be in contact with you to discuss the issue you have raised and hopefully resolve it to your satisfaction.

The complaint would then be considered by me as closed.

Step Four:

If you are satisfied with my response following Step three above, that will be the end of the matter. 

Step Five (other avenues):

You must always try complaining to us first.  In most cases you will not be able to take your complaint further without allowing us the opportunity to put things right. 

Legal Ombudsman

We are permitted a minimum of eight weeks to consider the complaint. If for any reason we are unable to resolve the problem between us within that timeframe, then you may ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint. 

You are free to refer any complaint about our work, fees or level of service but there are some conditions and time limits.  Please be aware that any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within 6 months of you having received a final written response from us about your complaint. Complaints to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within one year of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring; or within one year from when you should have known about or become aware that there were grounds for complaint. 

For further information, please contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or visit www.legalombudsman.org.uk. The Legal Ombudsman may be contacted at -

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH

Solicitors Regulation Authority

If you think a solicitor might be dishonest or you have concerns about their ethics or integrity, you also have the right to notify our regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).  There are no time limits for making a report but there are limits on what the SRA will consider. Please note that the SRA is not able to deal with issues of poor service (complaints of this nature should instead be referred to the Legal Ombudsman).  For further information about the SRA’s role, please contact the SRA or visit:  https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page#report