Axis Solicitors strives to provide high-quality, professional, and friendly service. If you have any concerns, please contact us to address the issue. To download our Complaints Procedure in a PDF brochure for easy reading or printing, please follow this link: Complaints Procedure.
Our Commitment to Clients
Axis Solicitors Limited is dedicated to delivering high standards of legal services to every client. Your feedback is crucial therefore, we would appreciate if you could kindly inform us if our services do not meet your expectations. Insights from clients are invaluable in improving our quality standards.
We prioritise resolving issues amicably and efficiently. Should you encounter any concerns, we encourage you to directly discuss them with the solicitor/paralegal handling your case or their immediate supervisor. Rest assured, they are committed to addressing and rectifying any issues promptly.
Escalating Your Concerns
If you remain dissatisfied or feel uneasy discussing your concerns with your solicitor after speaking with them, you have the right to file a formal complaint. To proceed, please reach out to our Compliance Officer, Faret Bibi. She oversees our complaints process and is committed to thoroughly investigating each complaint.
You can contact Faret Bibi at complaints@axis.lawyer. Rest assured, Faret will personally handle the assessment and direction of your complaint, ensuring it receives the attention it deserves.
How to Share Your Concerns
We encourage you to articulate your concerns in writing when contacting us, as it allows for a clearer understanding of the issues at hand. However, we understand this may not always be possible or preferred, and we welcome you to share your concerns over the phone instead. However, it is important to note that to maintain strict client confidentiality, we generally do not directly address complaints made through social media or review platforms. This policy is in place to protect your privacy and ensure that your concerns are handled securely and effectively.
Understanding Complaints
At Axis Solicitors Limited, we categorise a complaint as any form of dissatisfaction expressed by a client regarding our services, whether communicated verbally or in writing. Moreover, we are committed to addressing and resolving complaints through this procedure unless we determine an alternative approach, such as pursuing a civil claim, is more suitable. This ensures that every concern is managed fairly and efficiently, in line with our commitment to client satisfaction.
Eligibility for Filing a Complaint
Our complaints handling process is specifically designed for the benefit of our clients. Only individuals or businesses that have received legal services from Axis Solicitors Limited are eligible to file a complaint through this procedure. This ensures that we directly address the concerns of those we have served, maintaining a focused and effective resolution process.
Scope of Complaints
At Axis Solicitors Limited, you are welcome to raise concerns about any aspect of our services, including our fees. Nevertheless, please understand that lodging a complaint about our fees, whether through our internal process or via the Legal Ombudsman, does not automatically pause your account, and we may proceed with actions to collect any due fees.
However, should you be engaged in a professional negligence claim against us, please be aware that we will not address complaints that directly relate to the grounds of that claim within this complaints process. Additionally, you have specific rights under data protection legislation to lodge complaints or request information. Please refer to our privacy policy, data retention policy and terms of business for comprehensive information on your rights and how we handle your data.
The Complaints Resolution Process
Acknowledgement: Within three working days of receiving your complaint, you will receive a written acknowledgement from a senior member of our Compliance team. This acknowledgement will outline the forthcoming steps in the resolution process, ensuring you are fully informed from the start.
Investigation: At this stage, we thoroughly review your case. This involves examining your files and discussing the matter with the solicitor/caseworker who managed your case to understand the core issues of your complaint.
Response: The final response to your complaint will typically be issued by the Compliance department. However, depending on the nature of your complaint, it may also come from a senior partner in the relevant legal department. We are committed to providing you with a comprehensive response within 8 weeks from the date we received your complaint, aiming to resolve the matter to your satisfaction.
Your Right to Appeal
Our goal at Axis Solicitors Limited is to address and resolve every concern to your complete satisfaction through our internal complaints procedure. However, should you find our response unsatisfactory, you retain the right to escalate your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.
To pursue a complaint with the Legal Ombudsman, it is important to note that the complaint must be made within the following timescales:-
- 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 a cause for complaint.
The opportunity to escalate complaints is available to individuals and selected small businesses, trusts, and charities. The Legal Ombudsman generally requires that Axis Solicitors Limited have been given a fair chance to address your complaint internally.
Nonetheless, you may escalate your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman under the following conditions:
- Your complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved within eight weeks of its original submission or
- The Legal Ombudsman determines there are special circumstances that warrant reviewing your complaint earlier than usual, such as if an immediate review is deemed necessary or if it is clear that a resolution cannot be achieved through our internal process due to a significant breakdown in communication or trust between you and our firm.
These guidelines ensure you have a structured path for seeking further resolution, offering peace of mind that additional measures are available should you need them.
Billing Complaints
Please be informed that if your complaint is about a bill and the matter is currently under court assessment, the Legal Ombudsman will be unable to consider your complaint during this period.
If you remain unhappy with our final response, you have the right to complain directly to the Legal Ombudsman, an independent and impartial body, but you must do so within 6 months of our final response letter to you, which we will always make clear when sending our final letter. The Ombudsman’s contact details are as follows:-
Legal Ombudsman
Address: PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
For detailed information on timelines, eligibility criteria, or any other queries, please do not hesitate to contact the Legal Ombudsman directly through the provided contact information.
Exploring Alternatives to the Legal Ombudsman
While the Legal Ombudsman is highly regarded for managing complaints regarding legal services, other accredited bodies can also address such issues. Our experience suggests that the Legal Ombudsman’s scheme is optimally designed for this purpose. However, we are open to exploring alternative dispute resolution options should you prefer a different approach.
Addressing Concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
Axis Solicitors Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), affirming your right to lodge a complaint with this regulatory body if you have any concerns about our firm or our staff’s conduct. While the Legal Ombudsman focuses on resolving disputes related to the services we offer or the fees charged for these services, the SRA specialises in addressing issues regarding professional conduct.
Please visit the SRA’s official website for more detailed information about how to submit a complaint to the SRA or to understand more about the scope of their regulatory oversight.
Our Commitment to You
Our legal team at Axis Solicitors Limited is dedicated to efficiently addressing and resolving complaints. We strive to quickly rectify any issues that arise, ensuring that we uphold the highest standards of client satisfaction. Communication is key to our process; we promise to keep you informed throughout every step. Should there be any adjustments to the timelines mentioned, you will be promptly notified, along with a clear explanation of the change.
For any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at complaints@axis.lawyer. We are here to support you and ensure your experience with us is as positive and satisfactory as possible.
Our approach to everything is client-focused and results-driven; therefore, we are eager to solve any issues that may arise to ensure our clients keep returning to us.
