Complaints procedure

How do I make a complaint?

Please contact the member of our staff with whom you have been dealing. This contact can be face to face, via the telephone, in writing or by e-mail to mail@hatchers.co.uk.
However, to help us to be clear about why you are not happy it would be helpful if you were able to:

• Tell us what you are complaining about
• Give us as much background information as you can
• Explain, if possible, what you would like us to do to put things right

If your complaint is about a bill, you may have the right to challenge the bill by applying for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974.
This is drawn to your attention on the reverse of the bill together with details of interest that may be charged by us on overdue sums.

We recognise that you might not wish to raise your complaint direct to the member of our team who has been acting for you.
In this case please address your complaint to:

Lisa Holland,
Client Services Adviser,
Hatchers Solicitors LLP,
Welsh Bridge,
1 Frankwell, Shrewsbury,
SY3 8JY.
Tel: 01743 248545.
Email: l.holland@hatchers.co.uk

What will happen next?

If we are not able to resolve your complaint immediately or we are unable to deal with your concerns under this procedure we will tell you within three working days.
We will also explain our understanding of your complaint so that you can be sure we have interpreted it properly and let you know how long it will take to let you have a full reply.
There will be no charge for dealing with your complaint. If there is any reason why we are unable to deal with your concerns under this procedure we will explain why this is,
and provide you with guidance as to what other actions you may want to consider.

We will then review what has happened and will write to you:

• To tell you what we have discovered
• To put forward a proposal to make amends.
• To apologise for any errors on our part

We will also tell you what we intend to do to stop the problem from happening again.

What if I am not satisfied with your reply?

If you are not satisfied please tell the Client Services Adviser, Hatchers Solicitors LLP, Welsh Bridge, 1 Frankwell, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY3 8JY.

To help us understand why you are not satisfied please let her have:

• The name of the member of staff who handled the matter for you
• What you do not like about the reply that you have received
• Any other background information you may have
• What you would like us to do to put things right

If you prefer not to contact our Client Services Adviser in writing please tell her and she will be happy to speak with you on the telephone,
or meet with you either at our offices or elsewhere if it is more convenient for you.

What will happen then?

We will write to you within three working days to confirm we understand what it is that you are unhappy about and telling you how long it will take to let you have a full reply.

We will then carry out a full internal enquiry into your complaint and then write to you:

• To explain what we have done to investigate it
• To let you know what we have discovered during our investigations
• Offering to make amends and agree a settlement if possible

We will also tell you what we intend to do to stop the problem from happening again

What if I am still not satisfied?

You may contact the Office of the Legal Ombudsman and ask them to review the circumstances leading to your complaint and the steps that we have taken to deal with it.
Their address is Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough,  SL1 0EH (telephone 0300 555 0333 – calls are charged at a local rate and will be recorded),
or you can contact them by email enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk. The website of the Legal Ombudsman is www.legalombudsman.org.uk.

You will normally need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint and within a year of the date of the act or omission about which you are complaining or within a year of when you should reasonably have realised there was cause for complaint.

If you have complained about a bill the Legal Ombudsman may not consider a complaint about a bill if you have applied to the court for an assessment of the bill
under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974.

We are confident that if you are concerned or dissatisfied in any way with what we have done for you we will be able to sort the problem out to your satisfaction.

Legal Ombudsman

PO Box 6167

Slough

SL1 0EH