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What to do if you’re unhappy with your legal adviser

If you’re unhappy with the service you got from your legal adviser, you should approach them about the problem first. You should give them the chance to put it right before you take any further steps.

The legal adviser could be a solicitor, barrister, conveyancer (someone doing legal work on buying or selling a property), or anyone else providing legal services.

They might have provided a bad service in handling a legal issue such as a divorce, a house sale or a personal injury claim.

This could be because they:

• didn't keep you up to date on your case
• were slow in dealing with your problem
• charged you too much money
• didn’t follow your instructions
• gave you confusing information
• were rude to you

Explain why you’re unhappy, and what you want them to do.

You may want an apology, your money back, or extra help if they haven’t provided a full service. Or you may simply want the adviser to change the way they do things, to save others from going through the same experience.

How to make a formal complaint

If you’re not happy with your adviser’s response, then you can make a formal complaint.

Contact the adviser and ask for a copy of their complaints procedure. This should explain:

• how to complain
• where to send your complaint
• how your complaint will be dealt with

Most complaints procedures will ask you to put your complaint into writing.

Write ‘Formal Complaint’ at the top of your letter. Try to be clear about what you’re complaining about, and what you want to happen. Make sure you keep a copy of the letter and make a note of any phone calls to the lawyer or law firm.

• Complaining to your lawyer: top tips from the Legal Ombudsman website Opens new window

Taking your complaint further - complaining to the Legal Ombudsman

The Legal Ombudsman is an independent organisation that looks into complaints about lawyers in England and Wales.

If your adviser doesn’t get back to you within eight weeks, or you are unhappy with their response, you can complain to the Legal Ombudsman. You can also complain to the ombudsman if you haven’t had a final decision within this time.

The ombudsman won’t take sides, but will talk to you and the adviser and decide if they have provided a bad service. It solves most problems informally, but can investigate more complex cases.

The ombudsman could ask the legal adviser to:

• apologise
• give you back documents you might need
• refund or reduce your legal fees
• pay compensation of up to £30,000

If the ombudsman decides that the adviser has not provided a bad service, it will explain why.

If the complaint is about the conduct of the adviser, the Legal Ombudsman can refer it to a regulator, such as the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

You can contact the ombudsman at:

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6806
Wolverhampton
WV1 9WJ

Telephone: 0300 555 0333 (Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5.30 pm)

Email:

• Legal Ombudsman website Opens new window

How to complain about a claims management business

Claims management businesses are also known as claims handlers, claims managers and claims assessors. They are often used to get compensation in personal injury cases.

If you’ve used a claims management business and are unhappy with their service, you should follow their complaints procedure. This should be on their website, but you can also ask for a copy.

If you do not hear back from them within eight weeks of making the complaint, or if you are unhappy with their response, you can contact the Claims Management Regulator.

The regulator can ask the business to:

• apologise
• redo work without any charge
• repay a fee

There is no charge for the service, but the regulator can’t order the business to pay compensation.

You can contact the regulator at:

Claims Management Regulator
57-60 High Street
Burton on Trent
Staffordshire
DE14 1JS

Email: consumer@claimsregulation.gov.ukTelephone: 0845 450 6858

• Check compensation claims business is authorised Opens new window

Complaining about a legal adviser in Scotland and Northern Ireland

If you have a complaint about a legal adviser in Scotland, you should complain to the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission.

If you have a complaint about a solicitor in Northern Ireland you can contact the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

• Scottish Legal Complaints Commission Opens new window

• NI Direct: Law Society for Northern Ireland Opens new window

Help and advice in Welsh

You can get information about dealing with your legal problems in Welsh by following the links below.

• Complaints about a legal adviser - Legal Services Commission (Welsh language) Opens new window