Complaints Procedure

Our complaints policy

Guest Walker is committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it. This will help us to improve our standards. Whenever possible, please raise any initial client care problems with the person acting on your matter to give them the opportunity of resolving matters with you. Often matters can be quickly resolved in this way.

Our complaints procedure

If you have a concern or a complaint that has not been dealt with to your satisfaction by the person handling your case or their supervising partner, please contact us as soon as you are aware of the problem so that this can be addressed. You can contact us in writing, by letter, email, or by telephone:

Rachel Spawton
Head of People and Operations
Guest Walker Solicitors
12a Shambles, York, YO1 7LZ
Telephone: 01904 624903
Email: rachel.spawton@guestwalker.co.uk

What will happen next?

1. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within ten days of our receiving the complaint, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
2. The Head of Business Operations will then investigate your complaint, reviewing your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
3. As part of the investigation, further information may be requested. You can do so either by letter/email or in person.
4. If meeting in person, the Head of Business Operations will write to you within three days to confirm what took place and any solutions they have agreed with you.
5. If you do not want a meeting, the Head of Business Operations will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including their suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again to explain why you remain unhappy with our response and we will review your comments. Depending on the matter, we may at this stage arrange for a Director to review the decision.
7. We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
8. If you are still not satisfied, you can ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider your complaint. We hope that this does not become necessary and that we can resolve matters between ourselves. The Legal Ombudsman’s contact details are:

Address: PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 0EH

Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Normally, you will 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 the following timescales:

• no later than one year from the date of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring; or

–        no later than one year from the date you should reasonably have known there were grounds for complaint.

9. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) bodies exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services. We have, however, chosen not to adopt an ADR process. If, therefore, you wish to complain further, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman
10. You can also contact The Solicitors Regulation Authority if you are concerned about serious or repeat cases of poor behaviour or conduct. For example, dishonesty or fraud, misuse of your money or discrimination. Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Note, If we have to change any of the timescales above, we will let you know and explain why.

Complaints in relation to bills

The complaints procedure above also applies to complaints arising concerning our bill. There may also be a right to object to the bill by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974; the Legal Ombudsman may not consider a complaint about a bill if you have applied to the court for assessment of that bill.

Complaints in relation to personal data

The complaints procedure above also applies to complaints about how we use your personal data.

If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Information Commission Office (ISC) to make a complaint via their online form: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/data-protection-complaints/

Costs

We will not charge you for handling your complaint.

The Legal Ombudsman service is free of charge.