Our Complaints Policy

Stone White Solicitors are committed to providing you with a high-quality legal service and if something goes wrong, we want you to tell us about it so that we can not only put the problem right but stop it from happening again.

Our Complaints Procedure
Step 1
The first step is for you to attempt to resolve any outstanding issues with the fee earner dealing with your matter.  They will always try and resolve any difficulties that arise.

Provided the person with whom you have been dealing is available and the matter is not complex then we hope to resolve any problems within 5 days working. However, if the person with whom you have been dealing is away from the office, or the matter is complex and requires a more detailed investigation, then dealing with the matter may take longer. We will, however, let you know the likely timescale for our response.

Step 2
In the event that it is not possible for the fee earner dealing with your matter to resolve it, then they will refer the matter to their supervisor. They will then investigate the matter with a view to resolving it and then report to you. This would normally be within a further 14 days.

Step 3
In the event that the matter cannot be resolved in this way, or if the complaint is so serious that you feel that it should be dealt with immediately by way of formal complaint, then we would ask you to write to the Partner, Ushrat Sultana, setting out your concerns.  You can write to her at Stone White Solicitors, 110 Butterfield, Great Marlings, Luton, LU2 8DL

Upon receipt of your compliant we will record it in our complaints register and acknowledge your letter. Within 5 working days of us receiving your complaint we will write to you formally, confirming to you the name of the person who will be dealing with your complaint and requesting clarification of any issues that are not clear.
Once we are clear as to the facts, we will write to you confirming what will happen next.  You can expect to hear from us within 5 working days of your reply clarifying the matter.

We will then investigate your complaint considering the matters you raise, the file, and any information from the fee earner concerned.

Once we have considered the matter, we will either:
formally respond in writing to your complaint letting you know our decision; or
ask you for more information and supply you with a revised estimate as to the timescale for any further investigation.
Where it is appropriate, we may ask you to meet with the person dealing with your complaint to discuss and hopefully resolve it.  Within 5 working days of that meeting we will write to you confirming the events of the meeting and any proposals agreed for resolving the issue.  Should you not wish to meet, or it is not possible for us to do so, we will send you a detailed reply to your complaint which will include our suggestions for resolving the matter.  We would hope that this will be within 14 workings days of the completion of the investigation.

Step 4
If you are still not satisfied with the outcome of the complaint you can inform us of that fact (within 14 days) and we will review our decision.  We may ask you to agree to independent mediation in which case we will let you know how long this process is likely to take.

We will inform you of our reviewed decision within 10 working days of the end of that review and confirm to you our final position on your complaint, explaining our reasons.  We will at that time provide you with further details as to how you may seek further redress

Step 5
If for any reason we are unable to resolve the problem, then complaints and redress mechanisms are provided through the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Ombudsman.

You may contact the Legal Ombudsman at PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ to consider the complaint.  You may also have the right to apply to the court for an assessment of a bill under the Solicitors Act 1974.

Any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within six years of the date of the act or omission which you wish to complain or within three years of the date you should have discovered the complaint. There is a time limit of 6 months from our notifying you of our decision within which any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman can be made.

To ascertain whether the Legal Ombudsman is able to deal with your complaint you should contact them on 0300 555 0333 (inside the UK) or +44 121 245 3050 for international callers) or by email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk or by writing to the Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ. Alternatively, you can visit their website at www.legalombudsman.org.uk

If you are concerned about the behaviour of our firm as opposed to the service, you have received you can contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).  This could be for things such as dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic. You can contact the SRA by telephone on 0370 606 2555 (inside the UK) or on +44 (0)121 329 6800 (for international callers), by using their website at www.sra.org.uk or in writing to Solicitors Regulation Authority, The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN.