Complaints Procedure
Committed to providing high-quality legal services.
Complaints Procedure Affordable Law For You Limited
Affordable Law For You Limited is committed to providing high-quality legal services. If you are dissatisfied with our services, you can discuss this with the acting legal advisor. You are also free to submit a complaint in writing. This complaint will then be handled in accordance with the procedure set out below.
Article 1 Complaints Officer
The Complaints Officer of Affordable Law For Your Limited is Ms D E Aloba. If he/she is absent or was actually involved in the provision of the services to which the Complaint relates and/or if there are other compelling reasons, Affordable Law For Your Limited may appoint a (different) party to act as the Complaints Officer.
The Complaints Officer may be assisted by colleagues when performing his/her duties.
The Complaints Officer will not act as an arbitrator in respect of the Complaints and his/her view and recommendations, if any, shall not be binding for the Parties involved.
Article 2 Submission of a Complaint
The Complainant submits the Complaint by post, e-mail, fax or any other written form to the Complaints Officer or the acting lawyer. In the latter case, the lawyer forwards the Complaint to the Complaints Officer.
The Complaint has to be signed and will in any case include the following information:
the name and address details of the Complainant;
the name of the person or persons against whom the Complaint is made;
a substantiated description of the Complaint providing full details of the complaint and any supporting documentation?
if possible the file, file number or invoice number to which the Complaint relates;
the date on which the Complaint is submitted.
In the absence of the above-mentioned information the Complainant will be given the opportunity to correct this omission.
Article 3 Handling of the Complaint
The Complaint will be handled confidentially and with due care.
The Complaints Officer will enable the person(s) who is/are the subject of the Complaint to respond to the Complaint.
The Complaints Officer may request any of the Parties involved to provide further information so that the Complaint can be properly dealt with.
Before giving a view on the merits of the Complaint, the Complaints Officer will allow the Parties Involved to set out their views either orally or in writing, at the discretion of the Complaints Officer.
The Complaints Officer will inform the Parties involved of his/her view on the merits of the Complaint in writing. This view must be well-argued and may include recommendations. The Complaints Officer may also take initiatives to enable the Parties Involved to settle their dispute by mutual agreement.
If a Complaint submitted in accordance with Article 2.1 has not been handled within one month of its receipt, the Complaints Officer will notify the Parties Involved of this, explaining the reasons. The Complaints Officer will also specify the period within which a view on the Complaint will be given.
The Complaints Officer will keep Affordable Law Ltd and the Complainant informed of the progress and outcome of the handling of the Complaint.
Article 4 Miscellaneous
In event that a response to a complaint is not received within 8 weeks, or if decision of the Complaints officer is not accepted by the Complainant then you can refer you complaint to:-
the Legal Ombudsman at Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ and/or
The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives at College House, Manor Drive, Kempston, Bedford MK42 7AB
The Complainant does not owe any fee for the handling of the Complaint.
The Complaints Officer will keep a record of all the Complaints that are received for internal purposes, specifying the subject of the Complaint.
In the event that you are not satisfied at the end of the complaints procedure then you may wish to engage in mediation. One of the mediation firms that we use is Mediated Dispute Solutions whose contact details can be found at www.mediateddisputesolutions.uk/contact