How to complain
If you need to complain, you must firstly complain directly to the firm that has been doing your legal work.
All firms must have a procedure for dealing with complaints and should take steps to sort out your complaint. Your firm must respond fully to your complaint within eight weeks. Firms will often deal with complaints and give you their decision about your complaint more quickly.
Firms should provide full information on their website about how to complain to the firm and to the Legal Ombudsman. This information will be provided in the first letter that you receive from your lawyer. You will be given information about:
- your right to complain if something goes wrong
- how to complain
- who to complain to
- your right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman and how to do so
- the timescales involved when you make your complaint
- how to contact the right legal regulator
Firms will also give you the name and website address of an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider and inform you if they use ADR. However, there is no obligation on either you or the firm to use ADR. You can find more information about ADR at Citizens Advice.
You can find out more here about how to complain to the Legal Ombudsman.
Will you be charged for making a complaint?
You should never be charged for making a complaint. This applies whether you complain to a firm, the Legal Ombudsman or to us.
