Complaints Procedure

Gary Williams Solicitors is committed to high quality legal advice and client care. We take complaints seriously.

We listen and aim to understand the problem from your point of view.

We aim to deal and resolve complaints quickly and, for that purpose, we have a procedure in place to handle complaints.

If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you have received, please:

1. Speak to the file handler initially to discuss your concerns
2. If necessary, confirm the problem in writing
3. Write or telephone:

Mr Gary Williams,
Senior Solicitor,
Director & Complaints Handler of Gary Williams Solicitors,
Grasmere House,
155 Leathers Lane,
Halewood
L26 1XG

(Tel 0151 728 3080) or via email at gw@garywilliamssolicitors.co.uk

Please note that the Solicitors Regulation Authority require Solicitors to notify you that we have an Internal Complaints Department. Should the need arise, you may, if you wish, contact Mr Gary Williams at our head office (Tel: 0151 728 3080). Your right to complain [or raise a concern] includes the right to complain about a bill.

How We Respond

We will send acknowledgement of your complaint within 7 days, enclosing a copy of our procedure;

We will then investigate your complaint, which will involve Mr Williams reviewing your file and speaking to the staff member;

Mr Williams will send a detailed written reply to your complaint, including suggestions to resolve the issue within 14 days of acknowledgement;

At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact Mr Williams to discuss why you remain unhappy and we will review your concerns;

We will then write to you within 14 days of the review and confirm our final position on your complaint and our reasons;

In the event we have to change any of the above timescales, we will of course let you know and explain why.

Should you remain unsatisfied with our response then you can contact the Legal Ombudsman as set out below.

Supervision of Complaints

Gary Williams Solicitors Limited is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), under reference no. 561160 and subject to the Solicitors Code of Conduct which may be viewed at https://www.sra.org.uk/rules/

Referral to the Legal Ombudsman

If you remain dissatisfied at the end of our complaints process, you would then be at liberty to contact the Legal Ombudsman. Their address is

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH

Their telephone number is 0300 555 0333.

Their e-mail address is enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk. and website is https://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/

That organisation is the statutory body to whom you may refer your complaint, once we have concluded our professional obligation to try to resolve it.

Before investigating your complaint, the Ombudsman will check you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first.

The time limits for you to make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman are: –

a) Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint from us

and

b) No more than six years from the date of the act/omission; or

c) No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

Referral to the Solicitors Regulation Authority

If you are concerned that we haven’t adhered to the SRA Rules and Regulations you can report your concerns to the SRA:

Solicitor Regulation Authority,

The Cube
199 Wharfside Street
Birmingham
B1 1RN

Telephone: 0370 606 2555

Email: report@sra.org.uk