Complaints Procedure

We are committed to providing legal services of the highest standard and part of that commitment involves encouraging you to complain if you feel that we have not met the high standards that we have imposed upon ourselves.

Whilst we expect that you will be satisfied with our work, if you feel that you have cause for criticism or complaint in respect of any aspect of the service provided by this firm, including a complaint about our bill, you are entitled to complain. We would invite you to address your complaint initially, in writing, to Mrs Hazra Akuji (Solicitor and Director) by email to ha@avitalegal.co.uk or by telephone on 0330 056 5788 for immediate consideration so that any appropriate action can be taken without delay.

On occasions, we may invite you to attend a meeting to explain the outcome of our investigation in more detail, in an effort to ensure that you will receive an adequate summary of the steps taken to resolve any problems.

On receipt of your complaint, we shall automatically invoke the firm’s Complaints Procedure, which includes:

• Writing to notify you of how the complaint will be handled
• Informing you of the timescales for an initial or substantive response
• Conducting an internal investigation by a senior member of the firm
• Providing a full written response in compliance with our Complaints Procedure

We emphasise that any such complaint or criticism will be regarded as an opportunity to improve our service both to you and to other clients.

However, if you remain dissatisfied with the outcome of our investigations, you have the right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman, so long as the complaint is made within:

• 6 months of receiving our final response
• 1 year from the date of the act or omission giving rise to the complaint
• 1 year from when you should have known about the complaint

You can contact the Legal Ombudsman:

• Via their website at www.legalombudsman.org.uk
• By email to enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
• In writing to: P. O. Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ

A copy of the firm’s Complaints Procedure is available upon request from our offices, and we shall handle any complaint promptly, fairly and effectively in accordance with the firm’s Complaints Procedure.

Complaints About Your Bill

The above complaints procedure also applies to complaints concerning our bill. You may also have the right to object to the bill by applying to the court for an assessment under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974.

If all, or part, of a bill remains unpaid, the firm may be entitled to charge interest.

Raising Concerns with Our Regulator

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can help you if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could include issues such as dishonesty, taking or losing your money, or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic.

You can find information about raising your concerns with the SRA at www.sra.org.uk in the ‘For the public’ section.