We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to our clients.  When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it.  This will help us to sort out any mistakes or misunderstandings, and to improve our standards.

If you have a complaint, please raise the problem with the lawyer responsible for your matter or, if you prefer, our complaints partner, Mr Roland Gibbins, Howell & Co, 1341 Stratford Road, Hall Green, Birmingham, B28 9HW, Tel: 01217785031, email:rgibbins@howell-solicitors.co.uk.

What will happen if you make a complaint?

1. 1. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint in writing within three working days of receiving it.
   2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve our complaints partner reviewing your file and speaking to the member of staff who acted for you.
   3. Within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter our complaints partner will invite you to a meeting to discuss and resolve your complaint.  If you do not want a meeting, or it is not possible, our complaints partner may instead offer you a chance to discuss the matter by telephone.
   4. Within three working days of the meeting, or any telephone conversation we have with you instead of a meeting, our complaints partner will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions we have agreed with you.
   5. In any case, you will receive a detailed written reply to your complaint, including suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 working days of sending you the written acknowledgement of your complaint referred to in paragraph 1 above.
   6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for another partner to review the decision.
   7. We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
   8. If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ about your complaint. Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman will be considered when it meets all of the steps below: 
      • The problem or when you found out about it, happened after 5 October 2010; and
      • You are referring your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within either of the following: Six years of the problem happening or three years from when you should reasonably have known about it; and
      • You are referring your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of our final response.
        The Ombudsman is able to extend the above time limits in exceptional circumstances.  For further information, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk.  The postal address is Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ.  Please note that the Legal Ombudsman service cannot be used by businesses or most other organisations unless they are below certain size limits. Further details are available from the Legal Ombudsman.
   9. If we have to change any of the timescales quoted in this policy we will let you know and explain why.

Complaining to the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority

Not all complaints can be dealt with by the Legal Ombudsman.  If you are concerned about the behaviour of one of our solicitors, then you can contact the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA).  They will be able to assist you if you have concerns about breaches of the Solicitor’s Code of Conduct, the way we have handled money you have paid to us, if you feel we have lied to you, or if we shut down without telling you.  The SRA can be contacted on 0370 606 2555 or at Solicitors Regulation Authority, The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN.  Alternately, you can use the “contact us” section of their website to get in touch: https://www.sra.org.uk/home/contact-us/