Complaints Policy

What to do if you have a complaint

We want to give you the best possible 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 at this stage. If you would like to make a formal complaint, then you can read . Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case and you will not be charged for time spent on handling your complaint.

What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint

The Legal Ombudsman may be able to help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at complaints independently and accessing the Ombudsman will not affect how we handle your case.  Most ‘consumer’ clients (as opposed to large businesses) will be able to make use of the Ombudsman scheme however there are restrictions for some larger clients.  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 one year of receiving a final response to your complaint

and

• No more than one year from the date of act/omission.

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

Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm.

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH

Please note that the Ombudsman are there to deal with concerns about the level of service received. Where there are more serious concerns that a solicitor or solicitor’s firm have been involved in professional misconduct then reports can also be made to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the regulator of solicitors and solicitor firms. This could be for quite unusual and serious acts of misconduct such as dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic. Obviously, we do not anticipate any such problems arising and would ask that you notify the matter supervisor straight away if you have any such concerns. You can find out more about the Solicitors Regulation Authority including their contact details and professional conduct rules on their website: www.sra.org.uk.

Client feedback and complaints policy

We are committed to providing quality services to our clients. We value feedback from clients greatly because it helps us to continuously improve our service. If you do not feel that you are receiving excellent client services or that something could be improved, please do tell us about it. If we have fallen short of the expected standards which we have set for ourselves then we would like the opportunity to put it right.

What do I do if I have feedback or a complaint?

At first it would be helpful if you could discuss any feedback or concerns which you have about our services or how it might be improved with the lawyer dealing with your matter. If the lawyer dealing cannot resolve your concerns informally, or if the issue is of such a serious nature that you do not feel comfortable raising it with your lawyer, then you may discuss this with our complaints partner as a complaint under this policy.

How do I raise a complaint under this policy?

It would help us if you could write an email specifying:

• why you feel dissatisfied with the service which you have received;
• how you would prefer to be contacted for your complaint;
• if there is anything in particular which you would like us to do to resolve your complaint.

If you would prefer not to send the details of your complaint to us by email, please call to discuss the best way for us to get an understanding of your concerns.

What happens after I have made a complaint under this policy?

We will:

• send an acknowledgement of your complaint within 7 days of receiving it;
• log your complaint on our central complaints register;
• investigate the concerns and arrange a discussion with you to try to agree how to resolve the issues within 21 days of receiving your complaint;
• write to you within 28 days of receiving your complaint to confirm the outcome of this.

In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to extend these timescales, but we will try to agree any variations with you first. If you remain unsatisfied after 8 weeks at the latest, we will always ensure that you are reminded at that time of how to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman if you are eligible to do so.

What might the outcome of my complaint be?

We very much regret any dissatisfaction which our clients experience and will not hesitate to apologise to you where our service has fallen below our expected standards. We may also agree that certain steps will be taken to improve your situation and to ensure that any problems experienced will not occur again.

What if I remain unsatisfied?

If you remain dissatisfied, you may be entitled to complain to the Legal Ombudsman about our service. This service is not available to all clients however such as large businesses. The Ombudsman would generally expect clients to follow a firm’s internal complaints procedure first. You can find further information about the Ombudsman on the website www.legalombudsman.org.uk. You can write to the Ombudsman at Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH or by email on enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or call on 0300 555 0333. If you wish to raise a complaint with the Ombudsman, then you should not delay bringing it to their attention once our own complaints process has concluded as there are some time limits on when this must be done. For example, normally you must raise a complaint with the Ombudsman within six months of the firm’s own final decision on how to resolve your complaint.

Client Rights as Data Subjects

As data subjects, clients of Mann Roberts Solicitors have the following rights:

• Right to Access: Clients have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether or not their personal data is being processed and, if so, access to that personal data and certain additional information. Individuals can make a subject access request verbally or in writing and will get a response within 1 month.
• Right to Rectification: Clients have the right to request the rectification of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
• Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): Clients have the right to request the erasure of their personal data in certain circumstances, such as when the data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.
• Right to Restriction of Processing: Clients have the right to request the restriction of processing of their personal data in certain circumstances, such as when the accuracy of the data is contested.
• Right to Data Portability: Clients have the right to receive their personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and to transmit that data to another controller.
• Right to Object: Clients have the right to object to the processing of their personal data in certain circumstances, such as where the data is processed for direct marketing purposes.

Data Protection Officer

Mann Roberts Solicitors has appointed a Data Protection Officer (DPO), Frances Mann, who is responsible for overseeing compliance with this policy and all relevant data protection laws and regulations. The DPO can be contacted at forwhenitmatters@mannroberts.com or 0151 433 3373.

Training and Awareness

All employees and contractors of Mann Roberts Solicitors will receive training on their obligations under this policy and relevant data protection laws and regulations. Regular awareness seminars will be conducted to ensure that all staff are kept informed of their responsibilities.

Compliance and Monitoring

Compliance with this policy will be regularly monitored and reviewed to ensure its effectiveness and to identify any areas for improvement. Any breaches of this policy will be promptly investigated and appropriate action taken.

Review and Revision

This policy will be reviewed and, if necessary, revised on an annual basis to ensure that it remains up to date and compliant with any changes in data protection laws and regulations or Lexcel accreditation requirements.

Conclusion

This policy demonstrates Mann Roberts Solicitor’s commitment to protecting the rights of our clients as data subjects and ensuring compliance with data protection laws and regulations. All staff are expected to familiarise themselves with this policy and adhere to its principles in their day-to-day activities.