What to do if you have a complaint
Complaints Handling Procedure
We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). We are committed to providing high quality legal advice and aim to offer all our clients an efficient and effective service.
However, if our clients wish to discuss ways our service maybe improved, or to discuss a bill, or to discuss any aspects of our service which does not meet a satisfactory standard then to contact the complaints handeling director Mr M. Azmi on 0161 795 4777 and complaints@amlsolicitors.com or by post at AML SOLICITORS, The Halfway House, Middleton Road, Manchester M8 5DS
We are dedicated to providing exceptional client service and are keen to resolve concerns as soon as possible. In order to do this, will follow our complaints handling procedure.
Complaints Handeling Procedure
Step One:
We ask our clients to let us know the full nature of the problem first.
Step Two:
Our Complaints Handling Representative will then write to the client acknowledging their complaint within seven working days.
Step Three:
Our complaints Handling Representative shall then investigate the matter by reviewing your file and speaking to the member of staff concerned within fourteen working days of acknowledging receipt of the complaint.
If, for some reason, the matter cannot be investigated in this timeframe, then we will write to the client notifying them of this together with the reason why and giving a revised timescale.
Once the investigation has been completed, our Complaints Handling Representative shall invite the client to a meeting to discuss the issue(s) they have raised and hopefully resolve the complaint. This meeting will take place within fourteen days of sending the acknowledgement letter to the client. Following the meeting, our Complaints Handling Representative shall write to the client within seven working days of the meeting to confirm the discussion and the solution agreed upon.
If the client does not want to or is unable to attend such a meeting (or the meeting is not necessary), we will be happy to send the client a written response, including the proposed solution, within twenty one days of sending the letter acknowledging receipt of the complaint.
Step Four:
If the client is satisfied with our response following the above steps, that will be the end of the matter. However, if the client is not satisfied, they will be invited to contact our Complaints Handling Representative again who will arrange for another Partner/Director to review the decision. They will write to the client within fourteen days of receiving the request of review of the firm’s final position in relation to the complaint, outlining the reasons and any final redress offered.
Step five: Other avenues
Clients must always try complaining to us first. In most cases they will not be able to take their 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 our clients are advised that they may ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint. Clients are free to refer any complaint about our work, fees or level of service but there are some conditions and time limits for this.
Please be aware that any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within six months of you having received a final written response from us about your complaint. Complaints to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within within one year of the date of the act or omission about which you are concerned or within one year of you realising there was a concern.
For further information, please contact the Legal Ombudsman on Tel: 0300 555 0333 or Minicom: 0300 555 1777 or website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk Or by post: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
Solicitors Regulation Authority
If you believe that a solicitor might be dishonest or you have concerns about their ethics or integrity, then you 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
Further Information
For further information about our complaints handling procedures, please do not hesitate to contact us.