Key Complaints Handling Officer (CHO) = Mr. Sukhjit Ahluwalia
Introduction
Avery Emerson is committed to client care and an important aspect of this, is providing regular feedback to our clients.
We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. If a client is unhappy with any aspect of the care or service that he has received from us, then we need them to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards.
Avery Emerson aims to work in partnership with the client, in order to find practical solutions to resolve any concerns that they may have. At each step, we try to resolve matters expeditiously and amicably.
Our Complaints Procedure
If a client has a concern, the first step is to contact the person working on their file and inform them of the details of the same. This is best approached informally, making that telephone call and expressing such concerns. At Avery Emerson, we have learned that communication is key.
For a more detailed concern, we may be contacted in writing, over the phone or in person, depending upon the nature and the degree of your concern. You can at this stage opt for the concern to be dealt with in writing, or in person by way of a face to face meeting.
What will happen next?
If you are not satisfied with our response or you wish to raise an independent complaint to be dealt with formally, then we would invite the client to raise the concern in writing. We will then send the client a letter acknowledging their complaint.
Once the nature and the details of the complaint have been established and agreed to, we aim to acknowledge receipt of the same within 7 working days, although this will vary depending on the circumstances of each individual case.
Investigation of your complaint
This will normally involve the following steps: –
Once we have agreed and processed the complaint, we will forward the same to our CHO, as soon as reasonably practicable from the date of receipt.
Our CHO will aim to respond to the complaint, in detail, within 28 days from the date it was received. This allows Avery Emerson time to consider the complaint and to provide you with an adequate and satisfactory response.
If it is clear that further time will be required, for instance when complaints are lengthy or complex, we will write to the client informing them of the same.
The Legal Ombudsman is the body that deals with complaints and they usually allow up to 8 weeks before they become involved. Further, the client is required by the Ombudsman to firstly complain to the firm before they will accept a complaint being brought to them. In each circumstance, we will actively encourage the client to attend a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve the complaint. If they agree to this, then we will endeavour to arrange a meeting as soon as is reasonably practicable from the date of receiving the complaint, should this be an option that they wish to pursue.
Should a meeting be held, we endeavour to write to the client after at least a further 28 working days from the date on which the meeting was held, confirming the contents of the meeting and outlining any solutions which may have been agreed with the client. We would hope for this resolution to be a conclusion of the matter.
If the client choses to have a written response only, or if the matter can be resolved without a meeting, then we will aim to send the client a detailed reply to their complaint, in writing within 28 working days from our acknowledgment of the letter of complaint. Should more time be required, then we shall write to explain why and provide you with a further estimate. We will include suggestions for resolving the matter and address each of the points raised by the client, in turn.
At this stage, if the client is still not satisfied with the outcome, then we would refer them to the Legal Ombudsman who can be contacted in the following ways: – Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ; telephone: 0300 555 0333 e: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk, w: www.legalombudsman.org.uk.
Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within six months of the date of our final decision on the complaint but for further information, the client should contact the Legal Ombudsman.
At Avery Emerson, we shall not consider any complaints raised 6 months after the conclusion of the retainer. Additionally, with regards to our Interim Statute Bills & Final Bills, clients only have 28 days from the date of the bill to make any challenges.
We hope that the above assists in providing our clients with guidance in respect of how their complaint would be managed. Should further clarification on any of the above be required, please do not hesitate to contact our offices.
Please further note, that clients will not be charged for any element of work conducted on their file in relation to your complaint.
