Complaints Procedure

Our commitment 

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Kingsgate Solicitors is committed to providing a professional and efficient legal service.

 

If you are dissatisfied with any aspect of our services or charges, you have the right to make a complaint. We

will deal with complaints promptly, fairly and without charge.

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Making a complaint will not adversely affect how we handle your legal matter.

 

What constitutes a complaint?​

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A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction about our services or charges, whether made orally or in writing.

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We aim to resolve concerns as quickly as possible and use feedback to help improve our services.

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How to make a complaint

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If you have a concern about your matter, you may raise it with the person dealing with your case, who may be able to resolve it promptly.

 

Alternatively, you may make a complaint directly to our Complaints Team. You do not have to raise your concerns with the person handling your matter first.

 

You can contact us by telephone, email or post:

 

Complaints Team
Kingsgate Solicitors Limited
First Floor, Office 2
2 Holland Road West
Birmingham B6 4DW

Telephone: 0330 1221 007
Email: info@kingsgatesolicitors.co.uk

 

Please explain the nature of your complaint and, where possible, what you would like us to do to resolve it.

 

If you need assistance making a complaint or require any reasonable adjustment, please let us know.

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How we will deal with your complaint

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When we receive your complaint, we will:

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• Acknowledge it, ordinarily within five working days.

• Arrange for an appropriate person to investigate the concerns raised.

• Review the relevant file, correspondence and any information you provide.

• Seek explanations from those involved where necessary.

• Provide a written response explaining our findings and any proposed resolution.

 

We may contact you for further information or to discuss your concerns.

 

Where practicable, a complaint will be considered by someone who has not been directly involved in the matter complained about.

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Timescales

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We aim to provide a substantive written response within 20 working days of receiving your complaint.

 

If further time is needed, we will explain why and keep you informed of progress.

 

We aim to conclude our complaints procedure within eight weeks of receiving your complaint.

 

If your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction within eight weeks, we will inform you in writing of your right, where applicable, to refer it to the Legal Ombudsman.

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If you remain dissatisified

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If you are dissatisfied with our response, please let us know which aspects of your complaint remain unresolved.

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We will consider whether a further internal review is appropriate. Any such review will not extend the eight week period after which you may be entitled to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.

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When our complaints procedure has been exhausted, we will confirm our final position in writing and provide information about the Legal Ombudsman and alternative dispute resolution as required by our professional rules.

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Legal Ombudsman

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The Legal Ombudsman is an independent organisation which investigates complaints about legal services.

If we are unable to resolve your complaint, you may be entitled to ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider it.

 

You can ordinarily refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman once you have received our final response or eight weeks have passed since you first complained to us.

 

Generally, complaints must be referred to the Legal Ombudsman:

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• Within six months of receiving our final written response; and

• Within one year of the act or omission complained about, or within one year of when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

 

The Legal Ombudsman has discretion to consider certain complaints outside these time limits.

 

The Legal Ombudsman can consider complaints from individuals and certain eligible businesses, charities, trusts and other organisations.

 

Legal Ombudsman contact details:

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Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Telephone: 0300 555 0333

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Address: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH

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Alternative dispute resolution

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If our complaints procedure has been exhausted and we have been unable to resolve your complaint, we will provide the information concerning alternative dispute resolution required by our professional rules.

 

This will include details of an approved alternative dispute resolution body competent to consider the complaint and confirmation of whether we agree to participate in its scheme.

 

​If you are concerned about our conduct, such as dishonesty, mishandling money, or unfair treatment due to age, disability, or other characteristics, you may contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

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Solicitors Regulation Authority 

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If you are concerned about our professional conduct, you may also contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”).

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The SRA deals with concerns about professional conduct, including dishonesty, misuse of client money, discrimination and other serious breaches of professional obligations.

 

The SRA does not ordinarily resolve complaints about poor service or disputes concerning legal fees.

Further information about reporting concerns is available on the SRA website.

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Complaints about legal costs 

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You may complain about our invoices or charges using this procedure.

 

You may also have a statutory right to apply to the court for an assessment of our charges under the Solicitors Act 1974.

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These rights are separate from our complaints procedure and may be subject to statutory time limits and other conditions.

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Confidentiality 

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We will handle complaints sensitively and maintain appropriate confidentiality, subject to our legal and regulatory obligations.

 

We will keep appropriate records of complaints and their outcomes to help us maintain and improve our standards of service.