Complaints Handling Policy

Our complaints policy 

We are 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. 

Our complaints procedure 

If you have a complaint, please contact Haseena Ahmed.  You can write to Haseena at Minerva House, Gadbrook Park, Northwich, CW9 7RA or speak to her on the telephone on 01606 663989 or email at haseena.ahmed@poolealcock.co.uk.  Your complaint will be recorded in our central register and a file will be opened for your complaint. You will be contacted if we require any further information from you with regards to your complaint. If either Haseena is unable to resolve your complaint, she will allocate it to the head of department for the area of work who will conduct an investigation.  Please contact Haeena at any time whilst your complaint being investigated if you want to make us aware of any additional information, or if you want an update on where the investigation is up to.  

In Haseena’s absence, complaints will be dealt with by Michelle Hall or Louise Gorst who can be contacted on 01606 663989 or alternatively their email addresses are as follows:- michelle.hall@poolealcock.co.uk, louise.gorst@poolealcock.co.uk.

What will happen next?

1. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three working days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.
2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to the Practice Risk Manager who will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
3. The Practice Risk Manager will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including their suggestions for resolving the matter, within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgment letter. 
4. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact Haseena Ahmed and she will arrange for the Head of Department or an appropriate Partner to review the decision. 
5. Head of Department/appropriate Partner 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. 
6. If the matter has not been resolved to your satisfaction within 8 weeks from raising the complaint with Poole Alcock, you have the right to raise this with the Legal Ombudsman. This may occur whilst the complaint is still under investigation if time limits have been extended, however you still have the right to go to the Ombudsman after 8 weeks in any event. You can contact the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH. Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman should be made within six months of our final response to you. Your complaint should also be brought to them within one year of the date of the act or omission about which you are concerned or within one year of you realising there was a concern. For further information you can contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or at legalombudsman.org.uk. There are other Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR schemes such as Royds Withy King www.roydswithyking.com, however, Poole Alcock does not agree to use that scheme

7. Finally, if you are concerned about our behaviour, you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority at The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN. This would be relevant for matters involving dishonesty, taking or losing money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability of other characteristic.  For further information you can contact the SRA on 0370 606 2555, or by visiting their website Solicitors Regulation Authority.

If we have to change any of the responsibilities or the timescales set out above, we will let you know and explain why.