Complaints procedure

We want to give you the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy with the service we have provided to you or you have concerns about our charges then you should inform us immediately so that we can do our best to resolve the problem for you.

Dissatisfied with our service?

Initially please contact the person who is handling your matter to discuss your concerns. Alternatively, or if your concerns are not resolved by the person handling your matter please contact the person supervising their work. The name of the supervisor is set out in the client care letter sent to you at the start of your case. 

We will do our best to resolve any concerns at this stage but if you still have concerns and feel you need to make a formal complaint, our full complaints procedure is detailed in this document. Making a complaint will not affect how your case is handled.

Making a formal complaint 

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. If something goes wrong you need to tell us about it, so that we can put matters right. It will also help us to improve our standards.

If you are not satisfied with our response to your concerns having raised them to the person handling your matter and their supervisor, you should make a formal complaint which will be handled by our Complaints Handling Partner. 

What will happen next:-

  1. Within three days of receiving your complaint we will send you a letter acknowledging your complaint, let you know the name of the person handling your complaint and request you to confirm or explain any details which we require to investigate your complaint. If it seems that it would assist to resolve your complaint we will suggest a meeting with you. 
  2. We will record your complaint in our central register and open a separate file for your complaint. 
  3. The timetable/actions for investigating your complaint are likely to be as follows:
    • Within three days of receiving your complaint the person investigating your complaint will raise it with the person complained about, and where appropriate call for your file of papers.
    • Within fourteen days of receiving your complaint the person dealing with your complaint will either invite you to a meeting to resolve the complaint, or send you a detailed reply, which will include suggestions for resolving the matter.
  4. If you are still not satisfied that your complaint has been resolved, please let us know, and your complaint will be reviewed within fourteen days of you notifying us by another partner in this firm.
  5. We will let you know the result of this review within five days of completing the review and we will write to you confirming our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons. 
  6. If you remain dissatisfied you have a right to take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, an independent complaints body established under the Legal Services Act 2007, that deals with legal services complaints. Their contact details are set out below.

What you may do if we cannot resolve your complaint

If we are unable to help you, then you can have the complaint independently looked at by the Legal Ombudsman. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how your case is handled. Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have there are some time limits for taking your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.

You should do so: 

  • Within 6 months of receiving our final response to your complaint.

and 

  • No more than 1 year from the date of act/omission about which you are complaining.

or 

  • No more than 1 year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman their contact details are:

How the SRA can help you

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help you if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money, or treating you unfairly because of your age, disability, or other characteristic. You can raise your concerns with Solicitors Regulation Authority. 

Our commitment to you

We are pleased that we very rarely have to use our complaints procedure – and if any client is dissatisfied with our service, and wishes to use it, we will do our utmost to resolve the complaint to our client’s satisfaction.

Client feedback

The service at Winston is so good that I don't feel the need or the desire to want to shop around for legal services. I find myself recommending you on a very regular basis.
Luke T, Harrogate
Outstanding services from the start to the end!
Marcia
I have always had friendly and efficient service from Winstons
Carol
The best legal firm in Leeds - without any doubt.Sidraa and Tom provided me with the very highest service levels throughout the conveyancing process.
Anthony
Would highly recommend Winston Solicitors for all Conveyancing needs. Leasa was fantastic at communicating with us every step of the way as first time buyers.She kept us In the loop constantly and answered all questions we had to help put our minds at ease.
Abigail
This is the second time I have required the services of Leasa Foster and her conveyancing team. They are very professional and helpful. Always ready to advise and answer questions. This time it was the sale of my late mums home and I will not hesitate to contact Leasa when we move house again. Thank you
Anonymous
We recently used Winston Solicitors for conveyancing on both the sale of our previous home and the purchase of our new one. Michelle Ayres was exceptional throughout. She was accessible, proactive, and it genuinely felt like she was on our side and working in our best interests.There were a few challenges in the chain, but Michelle was always willing to take the time to explain the situation, outline our options, and keep everything moving. As our process stretched over 6 months, there were times when Michelle was out of the office, but Olivia Cooke and Samantha Robertson-Strong seamlessly picked things up and ensured nothing ever slipped.It was an outstanding experience that made a difficult and often stressful process far more manageable. We would highly recommend Winston Solicitors and especially Michelle to anyone, and we will certainly look to use their services again in future (although we plan to enjoy our new home and give ourselves a well earned break for now!).
Glenn
The service I recieved regarding wills and powers of attourney, were handled in a very professional and sympathetic manner. Thanks must go to Monika for leading me through the" legal minefield" involved. My late wife and I originally used Winstons years ago for all our legal dealings at the time and we could honestly say we could not have chosen better.
David
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