Complaints
We are committed to providing all clients with a high level of service and care. However, if something does go wrong we want to help you to put it right.
If for any reason you are not satisfied with the service which you receive and remain unhappy after discussing it with the lawyers dealing with your case, you can raise the matter with Hasan, who is the director and complaints handler of southgate solicitors.
It will help if you put your complaint in writing, explaining what action you would like us to take and keeping a copy yourself. Hasan will consider the complaint and confirm in writing what southgate solicitors will do about it. This will be at no extra cost to you.
You can contact Hasan by email at hh@southgate.co.uk or by post to southgate solicitors, Third Floor, Crown House, 47 Chase Side, London, N14 5BP.
If, after complaining to Hasan, you have not received a response within 8 weeks or are not satisfied with the response, you may complain to the Legal Ombudsman, which is a free and independent service and has formal powers to resolve complaints about lawyers.
You may contact the Ombudsman by post to Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ, by telephone on 0300 555 0333 (+44 121 245 3050 if calling from overseas or minicom on 0300 555 1777) and by e-mail at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk. Do not send original documents to the Ombudsman as they will scan any documents to make computer copies and then destroy the originals.
If you wish to complain to the Ombudsman, you should do so within 6 months of receiving southgate solicitors’ final response to your complaint and no later than 6 years from when the problem you are complaining about happened, or 3 years from when you found out about the problem.The Ombudsman cannot accept a complaint if the problem happened before 6 October 2010, unless you only found out about the problem after 5 October 2010 and not more than 3 years ago.
The Ombudsman’s website at www.legalombudsman.org, has information about how a client can complain to their lawyer and the Ombudsman.uk