Complaints

We aim to offer an open, transparent, efficient and professional service to our customers. However, if we fail to perform our duties to your satisfaction, you should contact us immediately. You could contact the firm’s Principal Solicitor, Mr Nasir Ata and raise your concerns in person, by phone on his direct line (0208 037 6031), by email (nasir.ata@atalaw.co.uk), or post sent to our postal address. Nasir is responsible for the overall quality of customer care and he will deal with your complaint promptly, fairly and free of charge.

Complaints are free, it will not affect your rights and our responsibilities towards you as our client. We are obliged to treat you fairly at all times and in accordance with regulatory requirements as in the provision of service to you and conduct of your case. We make sure to respond to you within 2 working days of receipt of your complaint and aim to conclude the issues raised within 8 weeks. We will keep you updated on the steps
and remedies of your complaint. If we could not deal with your complaints within 8 weeks, you will be advised to contact the Legal Ombudsman for further assistance- see What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint.

Once you raise your concerns with Nasir and depending on the nature of the issue and with your agreement, Nasir will offer a remedy. For example if you are unhappy about your caseworker not returning your call, we
apologise to you and deal with your queries immediately and ensure such incidents do not happen in the future and the incident will be recorded as part of our internal complaint procedure. For more serious and complex issues and complaints, we will write to you within 2 days to acknowledge your complaint and proceed according to our complaints procedure. A copy of our complaints procedure is available on request. 

As a matter of professional practice we specifically draw to your attention:

• You have a right to complain in the event that you are dissatisfied
  with our service
• that this could include a complaint about the firm’s bill
• that there may also be a right to object to the bill by applying to the
  court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act
  1974
• that if all or part of a bill remains unpaid the firm may be entitled to
  charge interest

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 tried to resolve your complaint with this firm but remain dissatisfied,
then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

• Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint;
  and
• No more than six years from the date of act/omission; or
• No more than three years from when you should reasonably have
  known there was cause for complaint.

If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please contact them.

Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm.
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Post: Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) can help you 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. You can raise such concerns with the SRA here.