Complaints Handling Procedure

1. Our Commitment

We are committed to providing a high standard of legal service. If something goes wrong, we want to know about it so that we can investigate the matter, resolve concerns promptly and use feedback to improve our service.

Complaints will be handled fairly, impartially, promptly and free of charge.

2. What is a Complaint?

A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction about our service, costs, conduct, delay, communication or any other aspect of the service provided, where the client has suffered, or may suffer, inconvenience, distress, financial loss or other detriment.

3. How to Make a Formal Complaint

If you have the raised the issue with the fee earner directly, and allowed them reasonable time to rectify the situation but you not satisfied, complaints must then be made in writing to one of the following correspondence addresses to allow us to action and investigate them appropriately:

By email: complaints@nps-law.co.uk

By Post: NPS Law, 1 Cranmore Drive, Shirley, Solihull, B90 4RZ (please note that we will acknowledge receipt of postal complaints within 5 working days of us receiving it)

Where appropriate, we will make reasonable adjustments to assist vulnerable clients or those who require support in making a complaint.

Please note: If you have not first raised the issue directly with the case handler, we will ask the fee earner to respond. They will have at least five working days, subject to the transaction timescale, to resolve the issue. If you remain dissatisfied, we will acknowledge your complaint, and our response timeframe will begin on that date.

4. Stage 1: Initial Review and Early Resolution

Acknowledgement:

We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within five working days and provide a copy of this procedure if required.

The acknowledgement will:

• Confirm our understanding of the complaint.
• Explain the next steps.
• Identify the person responsible for handling the complaint.

Investigation:

We will review the file, discuss the matter with relevant staff and consider any information provided by you.

Where possible, we will seek to resolve the complaint informally and at an early stage.

Stage 1 Response:

We aim to provide a substantive response within 21 days of acknowledging the complaint.

If the matter is complex and cannot be resolved within this timeframe, we will explain why and provide an update on progress.

5. Stage 2: Formal Investigation

If you remain dissatisfied with our Stage 1 response, you may request a formal review.

The review will be carried out by:

• A Partner;
• A Senior Manager not previously involved in the matter; or
• Another suitably independent individual within the firm.

The reviewer will:

• Consider all information available.
• Undertake any further investigations required.
• Decide whether the complaint should be upheld, partially upheld or not upheld.
• Consider any appropriate remedy.

Final Written Response:

We aim to provide our final written response within 56 days (8 weeks) of receiving the complaint.

The final response will:

• Explain our findings.
• Set out any proposed remedy.
• Confirm whether the complaint is upheld.
• Inform you of your right to refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman if you remain dissatisfied.

6. Possible Remedies

Where appropriate we may:

• Provide an explanation.
• Take corrective action.
• Reduce or waive fees.
• Refund fees paid.
• Offer compensation where appropriate.

7. Legal Ombudsman

If you remain dissatisfied after receiving our final written response, or if eight weeks have passed since you first raised your complaint, you may have the right to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman. Their contact details are as follows:

Telephone: 0300 555 0333

Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

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

Complaints must normally be referred to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of our final written response, and complainants should check the current eligibility and time limit requirements with the Legal Ombudsman.

8. Solicitors Regulation Authority

The Legal Ombudsman deals with complaints about the service provided.

If you are concerned about professional misconduct, dishonesty, discrimination, misuse of money or other regulatory issues, you may report the matter to the Solicitors Regulation Authority:

Website: www.sra.org.uk

Post: Solicitors Regulation Authority, The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN

9. Learning from Complaints

We maintain a complaints register and regularly review complaints to identify trends, training needs and opportunities for service improvement, in accordance with regulatory and quality standards expectations.