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Complaints policy

Quality of service

​We aim to always provide a high-quality professional service, however, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service you have received, then please inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem for you.

 

It is important that you contact us as soon as possible if you have any queries or concerns about our work.

Good communication is, we believe, the key to resolving any issues you may have relating to your case and the work we are undertaking for you.

 

In the first instance, it may be helpful to contact the solicitor who is working on your case directly to discuss any concerns, and we will do our best to resolve any preliminary issues at this stage.

 

If, however, you feel that, after speaking to your allocated solicitor, we have not been able to resolve the issue satisfactorily, then please ask for a copy of our complaints procedure.

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Client complaints procedure:

​The appointed complaints handler is Nicole Lee, Head of Legal. She can be contacted by:

 

  • Telephone: 01284 723 952

  • Letter: SEN Legal, Units 3-4 Forbes Business Centre, Kempson Way, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 7AR, or

  • Email: nicole.lee@senlegal.co.uk

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If your complaint is involving Ms Nicole Lee, please instead address your complaint to:

 

Ms Kyra Harvey – Head of Customer Service, by

 

  • Telephone: 01284 723 952

  • Letter: SEN Legal, Units 3-4 Forbes Business Centre, Kempson Way, Bury St Edmunds, IP32 7AR, or

  • Email: kyra.harvey@senlegal.co.uk

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Complaints can be made by telephone, letter or email.

 

We are aware of our duties under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments to our complaints procedure for disabled clients to ensure that everyone can make a complaint and that our complaints process is accessible and fair. If there are adjustments to our process that you would like, please let us know and we will consider them. You will not be charged for making a complaint, and making a complaint will not prejudice or disrupt the handling of your case if you have an ongoing matter.

 

Once received, complaints will be acknowledged within 2 working days. This will include confirmation of who is handling your complaint. The complaint will be recorded on our central register within 7 days of receipt. We are required to deal with your complaint within 8 weeks of receipt at our offices. In most cases we would hope to have complaints resolved well in advance of the 8 weeks, however this is dependent upon the complexity of any complaint received, and how much additional information we may need to consider the complaint and reach a fair conclusion.

 

If your complaint has not been resolved at the end of our complaints process, then you have the right of make a complaint to either the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority, or the Legal Ombudsman. Where you direct your complaint, depends upon the nature of the complaint. This is explained below.

 

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Legal Ombudsman:

​If your complaint relates to the standard of service you have received, and the matter is not resolved at the end of our complaints process, you are entitled to ask the Legal Ombudsman of England and Wales to consider your complaint.

 

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 6 months of receiving a final response to your complaint; and

  • within 1 year from the date of act/omission; or

  • within 1 year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

 

The act or omission, or when you should have reasonably known there was cause for complaint, must have been after 5 October 2010.

 

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

 

       Calls to 03 numbers will cost no more than calls to national geographic numbers (starting 01 or 02) from both mobiles         and landlines. Calls are recorded and may be used for training and monitoring purposes.

 

Do not send original documents to the Legal Ombudsman. They will scan any documents you send to make computer copies and then destroy the originals.

 

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Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA):

​The SRA deal with cases where a complaint relates to an alleged breach of the SRA Principles. The SRA Principles can be found here:

 

http://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/handbook/handbookprinciples/content.page

 

As an example, the SRA could help you if you think a solicitor might be dishonest, or you have concerns about their behaviour and these concerns have not been addressed at the end of the Complaints Procedure.

 

The SRA do not have the power to award compensation for poor service, or to reduce or refund your legal fees.

 

To submit a complaint to the SRA, you must complete the SRA complaint report form, and send it to the reports team at report@sra.org.uk or by post to:

 

Solicitors Regulation Authority

The Cube

199 Wharfside Street

Birmingham

B1 1RN

 

If you make your complaint to the SRA or Legal Ombudsman and they consider your complaint should be dealt with by the other, then they will refer your complaint to the correct organisation.​

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