What to do if you are unhappy with our service for any reason
Complaints Procedure
If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you have received, or about the fee invoice, please contact Hayley Betteridge on 01223 967656 or by email at hayley.betteridge@alawco.co.uk or by post to our registered office. If you are not happy with our response, please request a copy of our complaints procedure. You should contact us within a year of realising that you have a concern.
Complaints relating to fees
A complaint may relate to the firm’s fee invoice to you. You may also have the right to object to the bill by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitor’s Act 1974. If all or part of a fee invoice remains unpaid, the firm may be entitled to charge interest. The Legal Ombudsman may not deal with a complaint about the firm’s fee if you have already applied to the court for assessment of the fee invoice.
The Legal Ombudsman
If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you have received or about any invoice you should contact the fee earner dealing with your matter in writing or by telephone with full details of your complaint.
We will investigate the matter promptly and thoroughly and provide a written response. We will also provide a copy of our complaints procedure on request.
If you are still unhappy, you should refer the matter to our Director, Hayley Betteridge who will review the handling of your complaint and report back to you in writing. If for any reason we are unable to resolve any problem between us you may be entitled to complain to the Legal Ombudsman who can be contacted at PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 0EH or by email at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or by telephone on 0300 555 0333.
The Ombudsman will usually expect you to allow us at least 8 weeks to resolve the matter. The time limit for referral of complaints to the Ombudsman is 6 months from the date of our final response in relation to your complaint.
The Legal Ombudsman expects complaints to be made to them 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.
As of 1st February 2013, the maximum level of compensation that the Legal Ombudsman can specify will be £50,000.00 in relation to:-
Compensation for loss suffered
Compensation for inconvenience and distress
The reasonable cost of putting things right, and
The reasonable cost of any specified action in the interests of the complainant
See www.legalombudsman.org.uk for further information about the time-frame and eligibility for the Ombudsman service. If your complaint concerns an invoice you may also apply to the court for an assessment under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974.
We are insured under the Law Society’s approved indemnity scheme against claims for negligence and breach of contract, subject to certain limits. In particular unless legally obliged otherwise, we do not accept liability for more than the legal cover required in the scheme of £3 million.
Service of proceedings
We do not accept service of proceedings by email. Service should be effected to our mailing address at PO Box 148, Blyth, NE24 9FY.