Irvine yates limited – complaint handling policy

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients.  When something goes wrong, we need you to tell us about it.  This will help us to improve our standards.

In the first instance you should 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 would like to make a formal complaint it must follow our complaints policy below. Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case. 

Our complaints policy

Your complaint must be set out in writing and sent to us via email at kate@irvineyates.co.uk or by post at 937 Oldham Road, Rochdale, OL16 4SE.  We have eight weeks to consider your complaint.  If we have not resolved it within this time, you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman.

What will happen next?

1. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three days of receiving it, enclosing a copy of this procedure.

2. We will then investigate your complaint. This will normally involve passing your complaint to the Principal who will carry out a review your matter file.

3. She will then invite you to a meeting to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. She will do this within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.

4. Within three days of the meeting, she will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions she has agreed with you.

5. If you do not want a meeting or it is not possible, she will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including her suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.

6. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for a Quality Management Consultant or independent lawyer who is unconnected with the matter to review her decision.

7. We will write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a review, confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.

8. If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ about your complaint. The Legal Ombudsman is independent and a complaint made about us to them will not affect how we handle your case. Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within 6 months of the date of our final written decision on your complaint, but for further information, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 5550333 or at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk.

9. Please note that the Legal Ombudsman has now reduced the timescale in which complaints can be referred to it. You must now refer complaints to it within 1 year from the date of the act or omission about which you are concerned or within 1 year from when you ought reasonably have known there were grounds for complaint.

10. If you are unhappy with our behaviour the Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you. Unacceptable behaviour could be 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