COMPLAINTS POLICY FOR INHOUSE IP
1. Introduction
Should you have any complaints regarding our services, this policy (Policy) sets out how to make a complaint, how we handle complaints and your legal rights.
Whilst we aim to provide the highest standard of legal service to every client, we recognise however, that we may not always achieve this aim and want to know about any problems so that we can remedy any issues with our services. We value your feedback. We will consider any complaint carefully and objectively, endeavouring to resolve the issues and reach a satisfactory conclusion.
2. Who should I complain to?
If you wish to make a complaint about our fees or services, please contact Lindsay Gledhill (lindsaygledhill@inhouseip.co.uk) setting out the basis of your complaint and any relevant information and evidence that is relevant to assess your complaint.
3. What will we do?
We will acknowledge a complaint as soon as possible and set out a suggested timetable for our response. We normally aim to provide a response to your complaint within 1 calendar month of receiving it.
4. What happens if you do not agree with our response?
If you are not satisfied with our response and you are a consumer, you can escalate your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal Ombudsman is an independent organisation which deals with complaints about solicitors and other legal professionals.
Full details of the process are available from the Legal Ombudsman website (www.legalombudsman.org.uk) or can be obtained by calling 0300 555 0333, emailing enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or writing to Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ.
If you wish to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, you should do so within 6 months of our final response to your complaint, and within 1 year of the date of the act or omission about which you have complained or within 1 year of you realising there was a cause for complaint. Please refer to the Legal Ombudsman website for full details on its approach to handling complaints.
You may also ask an approved alternative dispute resolution (ADR) body to deal with the complaint, such as CEDR in London - https://www.cedr.com. We do not agree to use the scheme operated by CEDR.
If your complaint relates to fees, you may be entitled to have them reviewed by the court by applying for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. If you take advantage of this procedure within a month from the date of our invoice, your right to a detailed assessment is unconditional. If you delay beyond a month the court may impose conditions. Once a year has elapsed since the date of the bill you will lose the right to a detailed assessment unless there are special circumstances.
Alternatively, if you consider that we have breached a regulatory obligation, you may refer the matter directly to the SRA here:
https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/. Alternatively, you can call 0370 606 2555, email report@sra.org.uk or write to Solicitors Regulation Authority The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham B1 1RN.
