Clients
Our formal complaints procedure is available to all clients of Scott Cohen Solicitors. Please see the Non-client section below if you are not a client of this firm and wish to make a complaint about the conduct of an individual of this firm.
We are committed to providing high quality legal advice and client care. Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case.
Complaints in the first instance should be addressed to the team member with carriage of your matter by email. Email complaints should have the subject line “SC Complaint” and your case reference number (usually in the format SC1234).
In order for us to effectively address your complaint, please provide:
- Your full name;
- Our reference number (usually in the format SC1234);
- The relevant property address; and
- The details of your complaint.
We will endeavour to acknowledge your complaint as soon as reasonably possible and set out a suggested timetable for response. We will endeavour to provide a substantive response to your complaint within one calendar month. The time frame may be longer if the complaint is particularly complex in nature.
Should you be unsatisfied with the proposed solution, or if you wish to deal with someone else then please contact the Principal Solicitor, Lorraine Scott, by post to Scott Cohen Solicitors Limited, Suite One Dorchester House, 7 Fairview Estate, Henley-On-Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1HE.
In investigating your complaint this firm may take steps such as:
- Reviewing your complaint; and
- Reviewing your file and other relevant documents.
At the conclusion of the investigation, we will contact you in writing stating our steps taken in investigating your complaint and how we propose to resolve your complaint.
We have eight weeks to consider your complaint. If we have not resolved it within this time, you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman. If you are not satisfied with our handling of your complaint, you can ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint.
What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint
The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case.
Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
- Within six months of receiving our final response to your complaint
and
- No more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or
- No more than one year from the date when you should reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.
For more information about the Legal Ombudsman contact:
Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9.00 to 17.00.
Email: [email protected]
Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
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.
Non-Clients
We are aware that during the course of litigation work, and in obtaining the best results for our clients, we take action against our client’s opponents. During the course of our work, we will also correspond in various instances with a variety of persons connected to a case. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (“SRA”), require us to provide and conduct a complaints process only in relation to complaints received from clients of the firm. Should a third party wish to complain our complaints process above does not apply to you and we do not have an obligation to respond formally to your complaint.
We confirm that we seek to ensure that the conduct of all members of our firm meet the highest professional standards at all times. We will deal with any complaints from non-clients as we deem appropriate and will act in accordance with our professional obligations in relation to all communications received.
Kindly note that you retain your rights as a non-client at all times to raise your complaint with our governing body, the SRA. The following link will take you to some helpful information and a reporting form on the SRA website should you wish to pursue the issue via them – Solicitors Regulation Authority.