PUTTING CLIENTS FIRST
We take our obligations towards our clients very seriously and strive to provide the best service we can. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it as it will help us to improve our standards.
WHO SHOULD I COMPLAIN TO?
If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service you have received from C&Co, please contact either the lawyer dealing with your matter or your usual contact at C&Co. We are happy to deal with your complaint by informal discussion or in writing, whichever you prefer.
WHAT WILL WE DO?
If you do not feel satisfied with the response provided to you, please then contact our Operations Team at: operations@cleveland-co.com to initiate our clients’ complaints procedure (please see below). Please provide full written details of your concerns with the service so that we are able to assess your complaint.
CLIENTS’ COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
The following process is applicable to clients engaged in both the UK & New South Wales (Australia):
- We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within seven days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this complaints handling procedure.
- We will then investigate your complaint, which will involve speaking with staff that acted for you and reviewing the matter file.
- We will send a detailed written reply to you with our findings.
- If you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and the matter will be referred to Emma Cleveland, CEO, to review the decision.
- We will write to you within 14 days of your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
All legal service provided by Cleveland & Co are provided by Cleveland UK.
For clients instructing us, we have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If you are still not satisfied with our final position as set out in the procedure above, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman about your complaint. Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within 6 months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint; and (a) no more than 1 year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; and (b) no more than 1 year from the date when you should reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.
The Legal Ombudsman will accept complaints up to 6 years from the date of the act or omission by us about which you are complaining (or if outside that period, within three years of the time when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint).
For detailed information on who may use the service, its procedures and the time periods for involving the Legal Ombudsman, please refer to: The Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ Tel: 0300 555 0333 enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk www.legalombudsman.org.uk.
Additionally, the Solicitors Regulation Authority can help if you are concerned about the behaviour of any of our team members. For example, if you suspect certain acts or omissions have been carried out by a member of staff relating to dishonesty, taking or losing your money, or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or any other characteristic. Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
If you have any concerns over a bill which you have received from us, you also (subject to time limits) have the right to apply to the Court for assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974.
