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 Sarah Vickers or Lucy Warwick.  You can write to them at Minerva House, Gadbrook Park, Northwich, CW9 7RA or speak to them on the telephone on 01270 625478 or email at sarah.vickers@poolealcock.co.uk or Lucy Warwick at lucy.warwick@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 Sarah or Lucy are unable to resolve your complaint themselves, they will allocate it to the head of department for the area of work who will conduct an investigation.  Please contact Sarah or Lucy 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.  

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 Head of Department who will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
3. The Head of Department 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 Sarah Vickers or Lucy Warwick and they will arrange for David Gaut, Managing Partner (and Complaint Handling Partner with overall responsibility for complaints) to review the decision. 
5. Mr Gaut 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 you are not satisfied with our handling of the complaint, you may refer it to the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ. Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. Any complaint you refer to the Legal Ombudsman must be brought within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint, and no more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or no more than one year from the date when the complainant should have realised that there was a cause for complaint. For further information you can contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or at www.legalombudsman.org.uk.

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.