Complaints Procedure

We are committed to providing high-quality legal service and to dealing with all our clients fairly. We acknowledge that we may not always get it right, so we need you to tell us if something has gone wrong.

How do I make a complaint?

You can contact us in writing (by letter, fax, or email) or by speaking with our complaints partner, Ishtiaq Hussain whose email address is i.hussain@hpasolicitors.com

To help us to understand your complaint, and so that we do not miss anything, please tell us:

• your full name and contact details
• what do you think we have got wrong
• what you hope to achieve as a result of your complaint, and
• your file reference number (if you have it)

If you require any help in making your complaint we will try to help you.

How will you deal with my complaint?

We will record your complaint centrally.

We will write to you within 3 working days acknowledging your complaint.

We will investigate your complaint. This will usually involve:

• reviewing your complaint
• reviewing your file(s) and other relevant documents, and
• speaking with the person who dealt with your matter

We may also need to ask you for further information or documents. If so, we will ask you to provide the information within a specific period.

We may also, if appropriate, invite you to a meeting to discuss your complaint. You do not have to attend if you do not wish to or if you are unable to. We will be happy to discuss the matter with you on the telephone.

We will update you on the progress of your complaint at appropriate times.

We will write to you at the end of our investigation to tell you what we have done and what we propose to do to resolve your complaint. We will aim to do this within 21 days of the date of our letter of acknowledgment.

What if I am not satisfied with the outcome?

If you are unhappy with the outcome of our complaints handling procedure please first let us know and we will review the matter.

If you are still unhappy you can ask the Legal Ombudsman to look into your complaint. You can contact the Legal Ombudsman:

• by post at Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
• by telephone: 0300 555 0333
• by email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

You must usually refer your complaint within six months of our final written response to your complaint. Further details are available on the website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

What will it cost?

We will not charge you for handling your complaint.

The Legal Ombudsman service is free of charge.

You can also refer matters to the SRA where you consider that a firm has breached an SRA Principle. Details of the SRA Principles can be found here. Furthermore, details of how to report to the SRA can be found here.