Complaints Policy

We want to give you the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service we have provided then you should inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem.

In the first instance it may be helpful to contact the person who is working on your case to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues.

If you cannot resolve your concerns and would like to make a formal complaint, then you can do so by contacting our Managing Director, Samantha Bushell, please read our full complaints procedure below.

We notify all clients in our Terms of Business letters of their right to complain.

How to complain

You can make your complaint to the team who are dealing with your matter or to the Managing Director who is the firm’s Complaints Director.  You should make your complaint in writing either in a letter or an email.

How we will deal with your complaint

Stage 1

1. If you have a complaint about our service you must put that complaint in writing either via email to complaints@brownturnerross.com or by post to our head office in Southport (11 St Georges Place, Southport PR9 0AL).  We do not accept complaints by telephone, text or any other medium.
2. Where a complaint is identified staff must inform the Complaints Director that a complaint has been received. The Complaints Director will open up a new complaint file and enter the complaint onto the central register and allocate the complaint to a Complaints Handler.  The Complaints Director is Samantha Bushell
3. The Complaints Handler will send an acknowledgement email or letter within 7 days of receipt of the complaint, advising you that you will receive a response, following a full investigation into your complaint, within the 8 week period allowed for under the Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO) Scheme Rules.
4. A link to this procedure will be provided in this email/letter.
5. The firm will conduct an investigation into the complaint and send the results of this investigation to you, on behalf of the Complaints Director.

Stage 2 (Legal Ombudsman)

1. The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case.
2. Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
   1. Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint, and,
   2. One year from the date of the problem you are complaining about occurring; or one year from the date when you first realised that there was a problem.

The full rules of the Ombudsman Scheme can be found at https://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/information-centre/corporate-publications/scheme-rules/

If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please contact them.

Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Write to: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH

What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help 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 characteristic.

Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority

www.sra.org.uk