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Complaint Policy

We aim at giving our clients an excellent customer experience, and are committed to delivering consistently high quality, innovative services that achieve excellent outcomes.

Whilst we hope that you will not have any complaints about our services, if you do, please do not hesitate to get in touch. This will help us to resolve anything you are not happy about and it will point the way to improving the high-level standard we strive to provide.

The way we deal with the complaint will depend on the manner it is brought to us. Complaints can be dealt with informally with the person dealing directly with your case. If you are still not satisfied with that person’s response, you can make a formal complaint in writing to me.

Louisa Fotabe NkohkwoPrincipal Solicitor & Complaint Handler

When to complain

We follow the SRA [Solicitors Regulation Authority] Code of Conduct. It’s a set of rules to make sure that we treat you “fairly and professionally”at all times, and deal with your complaint “promptly, fairly, and free of charge”.

Our initial client care letter mentioned your right to complain, if we fall short of our declared standards of service. Your compaint can be any expression of your dissatisfaction or grievance:

Made whether:

  • Verbally
  • In writing

With issues such as:

  • The handling of your case 
  • The cost for our services

Which alleges a:

  • Financial loss
  • Distress
  • Inconvenience
  • Other detriment

We never ignore complaints, even if they appear minor. Many are more about service rather than outcome, so should be resolvable with good communication. We try to pick up on these cues and deal with the issues promptly, to avoid escalation of the matter.

How we handle your complaint

In accordance with the Solicitors Regulation Authority | SRA rules, we have established and maintained a detailed internal policy for handling your complaint in relation to the legal services that we provide.  

This section describes a resolution roadmap for your complaint in 4 stages. For more details about our office procedure, please refer to the Complaints Handling tab of our Code of Practice.

1. When to make an informal complaint to us

Most complaints are initially made informally and can be quickly dealt with by speaking to the fee earner or secretary involved. For example, a phone calll to say that a minor matter has not been addressed within a stated timescale.

However, if you would prefer to write an informal letter of complaint to them, please do so. They have been trained to follow our internal complaint handling procedure and resolution process and they should be able to to resolve the issue. 

When you make a complaint, you should:

  • Raise the issue as soon as possible
  • Mention your full details
  • Be clear on what the issue is and how you would like it to be resolved
  • Give your solicitor up to eight weeks to find a satisfactory solution 

On receipt of your complaint, we will:

  • Acknolwkedge our telephone conversation (if the complaint is not resolved within the call) or letter of complaint as soon as possible.
  • The responsible fee earner will then review your file.
  • A detailed response will be made (generally within 7 working days of the original complaint).

More often the informal complaint can turn out to be a misunderstanding or difficulty in communication and put right straightaway. However, if you still have a problem:

  • Ask to speak to the Head of Department handling your matter.
  • We may, when appropriate, ask the Principal Solicitor and Complaints Handler to contact you.

Where your complaint cannot be resolved informally:

  • You may wish to escalate it to a formal complaint.

2. When to make a formal compaint to us

If you have tried the informal complaint procedure, or it is inappropriate to use it, you are welcome to write to our designated Complaints Handler who is Mrs Louisa Fotabe Nkohkwo. She has overall responsibility for complaints and her role is to ensure that your complaint is dealt with seriously and investigated carefully.

How to contact her:

  • Write to her at Mrs. Louisa Fotabe Nkohkwo, Eagles Solicitors, 26 Abbey Parade, Merton High Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 1DG
  • Call her on 0208 543 3938 between 9.30 am -5.30 pm Monday to Friday.
  • Email her at louisa@eagleslaw.co.uk 
  • View her profile page here

It would be most helpful if you could put your complaint in writing. Download a formal complaint letter template from the Legal Ombudsman | LeO website to proceed. However, if you wish to speak to her please ring her secretary on 0208 543 3938. What she needs to deal with your complaint is:

  • Your full name
  • Details of your complaint

On receipt of your formal complaint, she will:

  • Send an acknowledgement of the complaint within 4 working days and inform you who will be dealing with your complaint and how long it will be before you can expect a detailed response.
  • Record your complaint in a separate complaint file.
  • Investigate your complaint carefully by reference to the file on the matter.
  • Ask questions, if necessary, of you, to the relevant fee earner, Head of Department and any other member of staff.
  • Report her findings to you as soon as possible.
  • Comply with the Solicitors Regulation Authority | SRA and Legal Ombudsman | LeO requirements to resolve your complaint within 8 weeks (we aim that this will be achieved in a shorter period).
    (* Generally your complaint will be dealt with personally by Louisa but she may delegate the task sideways to another Partner for reasons of efficiency or particular expertise).

Where your complaint cannot be resolved formal:

  • If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman | LeO. Any complaint to the LeO must usually be made within six months of the date of our final written response on your complaint.

3. When to complain to the Legal Ombudsman | LeO

If you have already complained to your solicitor or our Compaint Handler about your problem, and they have not been able to either resolve it to your satisfaction within eight weeks or accept it, then you can take your case to the Legal Ombudsman | LeO.

The LeO deals with all aspects of poor service, such as

  • Delayed or unclear communication
  • Problems with your fees, or
  • Loss of documents.

The LeO can:

  • Order the lawyer or firm to apologise,
  • Order the lawyer or firm to refund all or part of your fees
  • Order the lawyer or firm to return your documents, and
  • Pay compensation if you have lost out due to poor service.

The LeO’s investigators aim to:

  • Resolve your case quickly and informally by helping you and the firm or lawyer to come to an agreement.
  • If they are unable to do that, an Ombudsman will be asked to make a decision which is legally binding and can be enforced through the courts if necessary.

You can contact the LeO by:

The time limit for bringing a complaint to the LeO is changing as of 1st April 2023:

  • Complaints before 1st April 2023: You must apply to the LeO within 6 years from when the problem occurred or 3 years from when you should reasonably have become aware of the problem.
  • Complaints after 1st April 2023: You must bring your complaint to the attention of the LeO no later than 1 year from:
  1. When the act/omission complained of occurred; or.
  2. When you should reasonably have known there was a cause for complaint.

4. When to report to the Solicitors Regulation Authority | SRA

Eagles Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under the ID number 629931

As a regulated member we must follow the SRA Code of Conduct. If you have complained to us about breaching that code and you are not satisfied with our response, you can report to the SRA. Examples of a breach include:

  •  Dishonesty
  •  Fraud
  •  Discrimination

When reporting, please:

  • Set out your concerns clearly
  • Identify individuals you consider responsible
  • Attach any evidence you have in support

How to contact the SRA:

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