Complaints

If you are dissatisfied with the service we have provided then you have the right to complain. The Legal Ombudsman service has been operational since 6 October 2010 and is ultimately responsible for ensuring that complaints are handled appropriately.

However, before you contact the Legal Ombudsman you must first register an official complaint with us. Normally, the Legal Ombudsman expects you to give us 8 weeks to try to resolve the matter. If after 8 weeks you are still dissatisfied you can involve the Legal Ombudsman. For more information on how the Legal Ombudsman works please visit the Legal Ombudsman website.

Timescales

In normal circumstances you are required to register a complaint within one year.  You must then give us 8 weeks to try to resolve your complaint before contacting the Legal Ombudsman. A complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must normally be made within six months of the date of the conclusion of the Firm's complaints procedure. In summary:

  • You must register your complaint with us within one year of the act or omission being complained about, or one year from the date when you should have realised that there was cause for complaint.
  • The Legal Ombudsman expects you to give us 8 weeks to try to resolve your complaint
  • After this time, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman (but you must do so within 6 months)

The Legal Ombudsman is allowed to exercise discretion to extend the one year time limit for specific clients if, on the evidence, it is fair and reasonable to do so.

Getting Started

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 we would encourage you to inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem.

In the first instance it may be helpful to contact an advisor who is working on your case to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues. If you still have queries or concerns, please contact Dwayne Lewis on 01202 552 777 or d.lewis@renshawderrick.co.uk or by post to Renshaw Derrick and Co, 1st Floor, Pearl Assurance House, 128/130 Old Christchurch Road, , Bournemouth BH1 1NL.

Your right to complain might relate to the way in which your matter is being handled or the fee we are seeking from you.

For further information or if you want to make a formal complaint, then you can read our full complaints procedure here. In our procedure, we explain how we will handle a formal complaint. We also explain the role of the Legal Ombudsman and the Solicitors Regulation Authority and provide useful contact details so that you can be properly aware of your rights and the options available to you.