Complaints Procedure

1.1 Chilcotts Premier Limited trading as Chilcotts Solicitors is committed to providing outstanding client service to all its clients and we do our utmost to treat all our clients fairly.

When a problem arises or something goes wrong, we need you to let us know. This gives us the opportunity to address the issue and to try to satisfy your concerns. It also helps us to improve our standards.

1.2 As stated in Chilcotts Solicitors terms and conditions of business, clients who wish to make a complaint which they are unable to resolve with the individual dealing with the work (or their supervisor) or the person managing the client’s relationship with the firm, are asked to contact the complaints director David Wilde.

1.3 Please also use this complaints procedure if you have a complaint about a bill. In addition, you have the right to object to a bill by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. If you apply to the court, the Legal Ombudsman (see below for details) may decide not to deal with a complaint about the bill.

1.4 The firm is bound by the SRA Code of Conduct 2011. Chapter 1 of the Code deals with complaints handling. The firm is not entitled to charge for handling a complaint.

2.1 You may complain to:

2.1.1 the lawyer handling your matter who will then (depending on the nature of your complaint) pass on your complaint to their supervising director, or to an independent director within the firm; or

2.1.2 the director managing your relationship with the firm; or

2.1.3 the director David Wilde.

2.2 Within three working days we will acknowledge receipt of your complaint and tell you who is dealing with it.  We will also supply a copy of this procedure to you. We might also need to ask you for further clarification about your complaint.

2.3 It might be possible to offer a solution at this stage and we will write to you to ask whether the solution is acceptable.

2.4 The person who acted in your matter will normally be asked to prepare a response, unless in the circumstances it is necessary for someone else to do so. The person who is handling your complaint will examine the response and the complaint file and ask for any further relevant information.

2.5 We will then either:

2.5.1 contact you to try to arrange a meeting with you to discuss your complaint and put forward a solution. We will do this within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter. Within three days of the meeting we will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions that have been agreed or suggested; or

2.5.2 send a detailed written reply to your complaint, including our suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.

2.6 If you inform us that the solution is not acceptable, the matter will be passed to the board of directors for them to independently review. Of course, at any time you can ask for your complaint to be referred to the board of directors. The board of directors will conduct an investigation of your complaint.

2.7 The board of directors (or someone on their behalf and at their direction) will either meet with you or contact you to discuss your complaint or alternatively will write to you within 14 days of the referral to them, confirming our final position on your complaint and setting out our reasons.

2.8 If you are not satisfied, you have a right to contact the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 15870, Birmingham, B30 9EB about your complaint. Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must normally be made within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint or within a year of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring (or you becoming aware of it). For further information you should contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or at www.legalombudsman.org.uk. Please note that the Legal Ombudsman may decline to deal with complaints from certain types of clients.

2.9 If we have to change any of the above timescales we will let you know and explain the reasons for the change.

3.0 If you require this document in larger print please contact this office on 01822 612535 or write to David Wilde, Complaints Director, Chilcotts Solicitors, 10 Plymouth Road, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8AY.