Complaints Procedure

Complaints Procedure

Complaints Handling Procedure

We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). We are committed to high-quality legal advice and client care and aim to offer all our clients an efficient and effective service.

If our clients would like to discuss how the service to them could be improved, the level of their bill, or if there is any aspect of our service with which they are not satisfied, we ask them to please contact:

David Malone, Director
Phone: 0191 510 1220
Address: DJMS Solicitors, 53 John Street, Sunderland, SR1 1QH

We are committed to high-quality legal advice and client care and are keen to resolve any concerns as soon as possible. To do this, we will follow our complaints handling procedure.

Our complaints procedure is as follows:

Step One:

If they have not already done so, we ask our clients to let us know the full nature of the problem.

Step Two:

Our Complaints Handling Representative will write to the client acknowledging their complaint within five working days. In this letter, we will confirm what happens next.

Step Three:

Our Complaints Handling Representative will investigate the matter by reviewing the file and speaking to the staff involved within ten working days. If the matter cannot be investigated in this timeframe, we will notify the client with a revised timescale.

Once the investigation is completed, we may invite the client to a meeting (in-person, video call, or phone call) to discuss and hopefully resolve the complaint.

Following the meeting, our Complaints Handling Representative will send a written response within five working days summarizing the discussion and agreed solution.

If a meeting is not required, we will provide a detailed written response with the proposed solution within fifteen working days of concluding the investigation.

Step Four:

If the client is satisfied with our response, that will be the end of the matter. However, if they are not satisfied, they can contact our Complaints Handling Representative again to request a Director review the decision.

The Director will provide a final written response within ten working days.

Step Five: Other Avenues

Clients must always try complaining to us first. In most cases, they cannot escalate their complaint without allowing us the opportunity to resolve it.

Legal Ombudsman

If we are unable to resolve the problem within eight weeks, clients may refer the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.

Conditions:

• The complaint must be made within 12 months of our final written response.
• The complaint must be made within one year of the act or omission in question.
• The Legal Ombudsman will not accept complaints where the act occurred before 6 October 2010.

Contact the Legal Ombudsman:

Phone: 0300 555 0333
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Address: PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH

Note: If you are a business (other than a micro-enterprise), charity, or club with an annual income of more than £1 million, or a trustee of a trust with assets over £1 million, you cannot use the Legal Ombudsman.

Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)

If someone believes a solicitor is acting dishonestly or unethically, they have the right to report them to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

The SRA does not handle poor service complaints—those should go to the Legal Ombudsman.

For more information, visit: www.sra.org.uk