COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

The Directors of Goodwin Cowley Solicitors seek to provide a good quality legal service and support to clients.

If you are unhappy with the service you have received we hope you will discuss this informally with whoever is dealing with your business or the Head of that Department.

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If you remain unhappy, the matter can be investigated fully by either a (or another) Director who is not involved in the matter or the Practice Manager. Please put your complaint in writing and send it in an envelope marked “For the personal attention of the Practice Manager” at:

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Goodwin Cowley Solicitors

3 Regent Road

Lowestoft

Suffolk

NR32 1PA

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Wherever possible we endeavour to achieve the following timescales:

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You will receive a response to your complaint within 10 days confirming the name of the Director who will investigate your complaint. We will investigate your complaint within a further 28 days. Within 14 days of completion of our investigation we will offer to see you privately. We will report to you within 28 days of our meeting with you or within 28 days of receipt of your indication that you do not wish to attend such meeting.

 

If you still remain dissatisfied, you have further action at your disposal. The Legal Ombudsman is an independent complaints body established under the Legal Services Act, who can investigate complaints about the legal services you have received from us. 

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From 1 April 2023, the time limits for referring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman will be no later than:

• one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or

• one year from the date when the complainant should have realised that there was cause for complaint

The requirement to refer your concerns to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of our final response to you remains the same.

 

You may contact the Legal Ombudsman, P O Box 6167, Slough SL1 0EH

Telephone: 0300 555 0333

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

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The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you if you are concerned about our behavior. 

You can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

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Alternative complaint bodies, such as the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, 70 Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 1EU, www.cedr.com/idrs. Telephone: 020 7520 3800, exist which are competent to complains about legal services, should both you and our firm wish to use such a scheme. 

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If we have to change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why. Our reference to days means working days, and assumes that the member of staff is not absent from work because of holiday, illness, court commitments, etc.

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