Our Policy

We are committed to making every effort to deal with matters in an efficient and professional way. If, however, you have any problem with the service we have provided for you, or have any comment or issue arising out of it, we need you to tell us. This will not only allow us to address it, and try and resolve matters, but will also help us to improve our standards.

Our Procedure

If you have any complaint or problem that cannot be resolved by the fee earner having the conduct of your matter then please contact our complaints handling partner who is:-

Tony Scott

90 Silver St, Enfield, EN1 3EP

t.scott@barnesandpartners.com
02083702812

Next Steps

Within 3 working days of receiving your complaint Tony Scott will carry out the following steps:-

1. acknowledge your complaint and request from you any further details that may be required in order to give matters proper consideration
2. inform you of the name and address of the Partner who will be dealing with your complaint if he is unable to attend to the matter personally.
3. record your complaint on our central record and open a file for it.
4. commence investigation of your complaint (unless further details are required from you) as appropriate. This will usually involve obtaining information from the relevant fee earner and the examination of files and records.

It would be helpful if your complaint could be in writing (with any supporting papers) unless it is urgent.

Within a further 10 working days of commencing our investigation he will either:-

1. reply to your complaint or

2. invite you to a meeting to discuss, and hopefully resolve, matters.

If further information is required from you then this period will be extended accordingly.

Within 5 working days of any meeting he will write to you (if appropriate) confirming what was discussed and any solution reached.

If you do not wish to attend a meeting then within 5 working days of receiving notification of this we will write to you responding to your complaint or to inform you that extra time is needed

If you notify us that you are still not satisfied with matters following our reply and any meeting then we will, within 5 working days of receiving such notification, arrange for matters to be reviewed.

This will be done by referring your complaint to our Client Care Committee which will consist of at least 2 Partners (other than Tony Scott).

That Committee will carry out such enquiries and investigations as are considered appropriate and will deliver a written report of it’s findings to you within 20 working days of the matter being referred to them.

If following receipt of that report you are not satisfied with the position then we will supply you with the name and address of the appropriate professional body to whom you can refer matters for consideration.

If you are unhappy with our response to your complaint then you are entitled to contact the Legal Ombudsman. Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within six months of your receiving a final written response from us regarding your complaint.

The Legal Ombudsman has provided further guidance on its service at www.legalombudsman.org.uk.Their contact details are:

Legal Ombudsman

PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ

0300 555 0333

enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help 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, a disability or other characteristic.

Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.  www.sra.org.uk