Complaints Procedure 

We are dedicated to providing a high-quality service. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service we have provided, then you should inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem. 

In the first instance it may be helpful to contact the person who is working on your case to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues. If the person who is working on your case is unable to satisfactorily resolve your concerns, you may wish to make a formal complaint. 

If you would like to make a formal complaint, please follow the process below.

How to make a formal complaint

If you would like to make a formal complaint, please contact our Client Care and Complaints Officer by email: clientcare@asquithmanners.co.uk or write to Client Care and Complaints Officer, Asquith Manners Solicitors, Hexgreave Hall, Upper Hexgreave, Farnsfield, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG22 8LS or call 01623 857 207.   

When contacting us it would be helpful if you could please provide the following information:

• Your full name and contact details; 
• File reference number if relevant; 
• Why you feel dissatisfied with the service which we have provided; 
• What you would like us to do to resolve your complaint.

What happens after you have made a formal complaint 

We will:

• send an acknowledgement within 5 working days of receiving your complaint; 
• investigate your complaint within 21 days of receiving your complaint. This will usually include reviewing your file and if necessary, speaking to the person who acted for you. Where possible, we will offer you the opportunity to discuss your complaint with us either by telephone or at a meeting; 
• write to you within 28 days of receiving your complaint to confirm the outcome of the discussion and any solutions we have agreed with you; 
• where you do not agree to discuss matters or if it is not possible to arrange this, write to you with a detailed response within 28 days of receiving your complaint to confirm the outcome of our investigation and any suggestions for resolving the complaint. 

If you are unsatisfied with the outcome, please contact us within 14 days of the date of our written response to ask for a review. When requesting a review, it would be helpful if you could please explain why you feel unsatisfied with the outcome. 

If you request a review, we will write to you with our final response within 14 days of receiving your request. 

It may be necessary in exceptional circumstances to extend these timescales, however we will try to agree any variations with you first. If after 8 weeks at the latest you remain dissatisfied, we will remind you at that time how to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, if you are eligible to do so.

What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint 

The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case. The Legal Ombudsman investigates problems about poor service from lawyers.

This service is not available to some types of clients, such as large businesses. Further details can be found on the Legal Ombudsman's website. 

Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

• Within six months of receiving our final response to your complaint and
• No more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or
• No more than one year from the date when you should have realised that there was cause for complaint.

If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please contact them.

Contact details: 

Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm 

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ

Alternative complaints bodies

There are alternative dispute resolution approved bodies, such as ProMediate (www.promediate.co.uk) which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services, should both you and Asquith Manners Solicitors wish to use this type of scheme.

However, we do not agree to use ProMediate or any other similar alternative complaints bodies, as in our opinion the Legal Ombudsman's scheme is the most appropriate for legal complaints. 

What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic.

Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.