Complaints Handling

Goodwill Solicitors Complaints Handling Policy

Customer service is fundamental to everything we do

We know that engaging with the legal system can be daunting, and we strive to make the process as easy for you as possible. We always hope that your experience with Goodwill Solicitors is a good one, but we understand that sometimes things don’t always go the way you would like. This leaflet outlines our policy for dealing with customer issues and handling service complaints. We are committed to making this process as fair and transparent as possible to provide a satisfactory resolution.

At the start of your case

At the outset of the case, you will be provided with the name, address and telephone number of the person who will be dealing with your case and their Complaints Officer (“CO”)/Supervisor. Should you find any aspect of our service, including your bill, unsatisfactory, we would like to hear from you. Please either telephone or write directly to the CO/Supervisor.

Initial Complaint Handling

  • If you phone, we would hope that we can deal with the issue to your satisfaction there and then
  • If you write to us or we have not been able to deal satisfactorily with your complaint on the telephone, we will send you an acknowledgement letter within two (2) working days of us receiving your complaint.
  • Your complaint/issue will be investigated by the CO and/or Supervisor who will examine your file and may discuss the matter with the member of staff who acted for you.
  • The CO and/or Supervisor may call/email you to ensure the issues you have raised are properly understood.
  • The CO and/or Supervisor will then send you his/her response to your issue/complaint within ten (10) working days of the issue of our letter of acknowledgement with his/her suggestions for resolving the matter.

Complaint Escalation

At this stage, if we have not been able to resolve your complaint satisfactorily, you can write to us again at which time your complaint will be escalated to:

the Senior Complaints Officer (SCO who is the Director of the Firm) will arrange to review your file and documentation and respond to you within ten (10) working days of us receiving your response.

Referral to the Legal Ombudsman(“LeO”)

In the unfortunate event that we have not been able to resolve your concerns, including billing issues, within an eight (8) week period, you may contact the LeO:

A complainant to the Legal Ombudsman must be one of the following:

  • (a) An individual;
  • (b) A micro-enterprise as defined in European Recommendation 2003/361/EC of 6 May 2003 (broadly, an enterprise with fewer than 10 (Ten) staff and a turnover or balance sheet value not exceeding €2 million);
  • (c) A charity with an annual income less than £1 million;
  • (d) A club, association or society with an annual income less than £1 million;
  • (e) A trustee of a trust with a net asset value less than £1 million; or a personal representative or the residuary beneficiaries of an estate where a person with a complaint died before referring it to the Legal Ombudsman.

If you do not fall into any of these categories, you should be aware that you can only obtain redress by using our Complaints Handling Procedure or by mediation or arbitration, or by taking action through the Courts.

Time Limits

The Legal Ombudsman’s objective is, in the first instance, to reconcile complaints and to assist clients and their solicitors to come to a mutual understanding. Referrals to the LeO should be made within six (6) months of receipt of our final response letter to your complaint, or within three (3) years from the date, you should reasonably have become aware of the problem and six (6) years from the date of an act/omission. Referrals to the Financial Ombudsman Service should normally be made within six (6) months. 
For further guidance about how to make a complaint, visit:

http://www.legalombudsman.org.uk

“We seek at all times to give our clients the best possible service. Your service issue or complaint will be recorded on our central register and will be used to improve our service to our clients. Please be assured that we very much value both your business and your feedback.”

Complaints Procedure

We aim to provide you with a high-quality service. If you believe that the service could be improved, or you are dissatisfied with any aspect, then please raise this matter with the individual handling your case or Conveyancer in the first instance. If you feel that this is inappropriate, or they fail to resolve your concerns, then please raise the matter with the Director of the firm. If you wish to take matters further, then you should write to the Director Ms. Nazish Hashmi at Goodwill Solicitors, 11 The Courtyard, Crawley, RH117PJ. ([email protected]).

Raising concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you if you are concerned about our behaviour.  This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other special characteristic.

You can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/.