Our complaints procedure

Any expression of dissatisfaction about the service you have received from Miles & Partners will be taken seriously and we will endeavour to respond promptly to any complaint.

If you feel that we have failed to provide an acceptable service we want you to let us know so that we can put things right if possible and hopefully answer any criticism you may have about the service you have received. This also gives us an opportunity to monitor and improve our client care. Any complaint will be investigated with a view to answering your concerns and achieving a positive outcome.

What to do if you are unhappy with the service you are receiving

At the outset of a case all clients receive an initial client care letter in which they are advised as to the name of the partner responsible for the investigation of any complaints that are made.

If you are not happy with the service you have received, you should first raise it with the person responsible for your case.

If you are unhappy with the reply provided by the person normally dealing with your case you can refer the matter to their supervising partner by writing, emailing or calling on 0207 426 0400 (the name of the supervising partner or manager will also be found on your initial correspondence). You may also contact the practice manager at pw@milesandpartners.com setting out the details of your complaint.

What will we do?

In the event of any member of the firm being contacted by a client who is unhappy about any aspect of the service they are receiving that person will refer the complaint to the practice manager and the complaints procedure will be set in motion.

1. Log the complaint

On receipt of a complaint, the practice manager will ensure the complaint will be given a reference number and will be entered into a complaints register recording the name of the client, the file reference, the fee earner concerned, the date of the complaint and the outcome of the complaint.

2. Keep track of your complaint

A central file, separate from the main client file, will be opened and will contain copies of any correspondence with clients concerning the complaint. The register is kept by the practice manager who will supervise the progress of complaints and liaise with fee earners and clients where appropriate.

3. Investigate and respond

The practice manager will then ensure that the supervising partner or manager will consider your complaint and the matter will then be investigated and you will be replied to in detail to you within 10 working days. If for some reason, the matter cannot be investigated in this time frame, then a letter will be sent to you notifying you of this, together with the reason why and the revised timescale. If we believe it would be helpful, we may suggest a meeting.

4. Review

If you are satisfied with our response, the matter will be closed. If you are not content, you will be invited to request a review of the decision. We will respond to such a request within five working days and notify you of this firm’s final response to your complaint.

5. Step five (other avenues)

You must always try complaining to us first. In most cases you will not be able to take your complaint further without allowing us the opportunity to put things right.

Legal Ombudsman

We are permitted a minimum of eight weeks to consider the complaint. If for any reason we are unable to resolve the problem between us within that timeframe, then you may ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint.

You are free to refer any complaint about our work, fees or level of service but there are some conditions and time limits. Please be aware that any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within six months of you having received a final written response from us about your complaint. Complaints to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within one year of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring; or within one year from when you should have known about or become aware that there were grounds for complaint. The Legal Ombudsman will not accept complaints where the act or date of awareness was before 6 October 2010.

For further information, please contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or visit legalombudsman.org.uk. The Legal Ombudsman may be contacted at PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ.

Solicitors Regulation Authority

If you think a solicitor might be dishonest or you have concerns about their ethics or integrity, you also have the right to notify our regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). There are no time limits for making a report but there are limits on what the SRA will consider. Please note that the SRA is not able to deal with issues of poor service (complaints of this nature should instead be referred to the Legal Ombudsman). For further information about the SRA’s role, please contact the SRA or visit: https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page#report