At PCD Solicitors Ltd., we are committed to providing a high standard of legal service. If something goes wrong, or you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our service, we want to know so that we can investigate your concerns fairly and promptly and try to put matters right. We do not charge for handling complaints. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) requires firms to publish details of their complaints handling procedure, including how and when a complaint can be made to the Legal Ombudsman and the SRA.
How to make a complaint
You can make a complaint by email, post or telephone using the contact details below.
Complaints contact:
Paula Shaw, Head of Operations
Email: info@pcdsolicitors.co.uk
Telephone: 0151 705 8488
Post: PCD Solicitors Ltd., The Maltings, 100 Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington, WA4 6PU
To help us investigate, please tell us:
- your full name and contact details;
- what has happened;
- why you are dissatisfied; and
- what outcome you are seeking.
If you first raise a concern informally, we will try to resolve it quickly. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, you can ask for it to be treated as a formal complaint.
What happens next
1. Acknowledgment
We will acknowledge your complaint promptly, usually within 5 working days of receiving it.
2. Investigation
Your complaint will be reviewed by an appropriate person who is not directly involved in the matter where possible. We may review your file and correspondence and may contact you if we need further information.
3. Response
We will send you a written response setting out our findings and, where appropriate, any proposals to resolve the complaint.
4. Timescale
We aim to provide our final written response within 8 weeks of receiving your complaint. If we cannot do so, we will explain why and tell you when you can expect a further update. The Legal
Ombudsman may accept a complaint if it has not been resolved to your satisfaction within 8 weeks, and the SRA guidance requires firms to explain that route.
If you remain unhappy
The Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints about poor service provided by lawyers. You can usually refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman if:
- we have sent you our final written response and you remain dissatisfied; or
- more than 8 weeks have passed since you made your complaint to us. Ordinarily, your complaint must be referred to the Legal Ombudsman:
- within 6 months of our final written response; and
- no later than 1 year from the act or omission being complained about, or 1 year from the date when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint. These are the time limits reflected in the SRA’s complaints-publication guidance.
Legal Ombudsman contact:
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Website: legalombudsman.org.uk
Complaints to the Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can help if you are concerned about a solicitor’s conduct, including matters such as dishonesty, taking or losing money, or unfair treatment because of a protected characteristic. The SRA does not usually deal with complaints purely about poor service; those are generally for the Legal Ombudsman. The SRA requires firms to publish details of how and when complaints can be made to it.
You can report concerns to the SRA via its website:
Alternative formats
If you need this complaints procedure in another format, please contact Paula Shaw at info@pcdsolicitors.co.uk.