If you have a complaint about the work carried out by a member of this firm, please follow the procedure set out below. Our commitment is to deal with all complaints promptly, fairly and effectively.

1. Any complaint should first be raised with the solicitor responsible for your matter. He or she will record your complaint and discuss it with you with a view to finding a mutually acceptable resolution. Every effort will be made to deal with your complaint promptly, normally within two weeks although solicitors’ holidays or court commitments may prevent that. If that time limit has to be extended, we will write to you and let you know when it will be possible to address your complaint.
2. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your discussion with the solicitor responsible for your matter, please raise your concerns with Mark Harper, or if your complaint concerns work for which he is responsible, with Alex Carruthers. Mark Harper or Alex Carruthers will investigate your complaint by considering your complaint, examining the file and discussing the matter with the solicitor(s) concerned. We will normally provide you with a comprehensive reply within 28 days of receipt of your complaint, and if we have to extend that deadline we shall inform you in writing.
3. You are entitled to ask the Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806 Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ (tel: 0300 555 0333; email: [email protected]) to become involved, normally at the end of our complaints procedure. The website address of the Legal Ombudsman is www.legalombudsman.org.uk. The Legal Ombudsman expects complaints to be made to it within one year of the date of the issue that concerned you or within one year of your realising there was a concern. It requires any complaint to be submitted within six months of the end of our complaints procedure.

Hughes Fowler Carruthers is the trading name of Hughes Fowler Carruthers Ltd.