Client Care & Complaints

Complaints Procedure

Our Complaints Policy

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all clients. If something goes wrong, or you are dissatisfied about the service you have received at any stage of your transaction,
we ask that you raise your expression of dissatisfaction with us so we can reach a resolution with you wherever possible. This will also help us to improve our standards.

The process to follow will depend upon whether your complaint relates to a Real Estate (conveyancing) matter or anything other than Real Estate. Please ensure that you follow the appropriate procedure for your matter.

The different procedures you should follow are set out below.

If your complaint relates to a Real Estate (conveyancing) matter:

How you should express any dissatisfaction with our service

First Stage

In the first instance you should express your dissatisfaction with the person dealing with your matter. They will aim to address this within three working days.

However, if you would prefer not to do so, or, having done so, you remain dissatisfied, then please refer your issue to the File Supervisor. Their details can be found in the client care letter you received at the beginning of your matter.

The File Supervisor will aim to address the matter and respond within five working days.

Second Stage

If the matter still cannot be resolved, then the matter will be referred to our client service team or you may contact and refer the matter to them by email to conveyancingsupport@chadlaw.co.uk If you do refer the matter to the team, please provide your file reference, details of who is dealing with your matter, details of your dissatisfaction, and a telephone number in order that they may contact you.

Details of the matter will be recorded by the team in their central register. Our client service team will aim to respond to you within five working days.

Third stage

Please note that your issue will only be considered at this stage if you have raised your dissatisfaction and complied with the first two stages above. In the unlikely event that we are still unable to resolve the matter, then you may refer the matter to the partner in charge of real estate complaints either:

– By post to the partner for real estate complaints at Chadwick Lawrence LLP, Paragon Point, Paragon Business Village, Wakefield WF1 2DF; or

– By email to recomplaintspartner@chadlaw.co.uk

In either case, please ensure that you:

(i) Provide copies of correspondence between you and the person dealing with your matter / File supervisor and client service team with regard to the complaint;

(ii) Explain why you are unhappy with the decision and in what way you believe it to be wrong.

What will happen at the Third Stage

1. We will send you an acknowledgement within five working days. We may also ask you to clarify or explain more details.

2. We will record your complaint in our Central Register.

3. We will then start to investigate your complaint. This will involve reviewing the file, considering the correspondence that has been raised in relation to the complaint, and input from the File Supervisor and client service team.

4. We shall respond to your complaint in writing, setting out our decision. We shall endeavour to do this within twenty-eight days of the matter being referred. If we need longer to address the issue, we will inform you as soon as we become aware of the fact and let you know how long it will take.

Please note that at whatever stage above, we may escalate your issue ourselves within the process.

If your complaint relates to any other matter:

1. In the first instance please raise any concerns with the person dealing with your matter.
2. If they are unable to resolve the issue, or if you are uncomfortable in raising the issue directly with them, please put your complaint in writing by email or in a letter to the File Supervisor whose details can be found in the client care letter you received at the beginning of your
   matter.
3. If the File Supervisor is unable to resolve the complaint to your satisfaction, please refer your complaint by email to nicholasworsnop@chadlaw.co.uk

If at stage 3 above you would prefer to make a complaint in writing by letter, please address this to:

Chadwick Lawrence LLP
The Fire Station, Dean Clough Mills
Halifax
HX3 5AX

Whether this is by email or letter, when contacting us you should:

(i) Provide copies of correspondence between you and the person dealing with your matter with regard to the complaint;

(ii) Provide a copy of your complaint to the File Supervisor and their response;

(iii) Explain why you are unhappy with the File Supervisor’s decision and in what way you believe it to be wrong.

You should expect to receive a full response to your complaint within twenty-eight days of receipt.

What Will Happen Next

1. We will send you an acknowledgement. We may also ask you to clarify or explain more details.

2. We will record your complaint in our Central Register.

3. We will then start to investigate your complaint. This will involve reviewing the file, considering the correspondence that has been raised in relation to the complaint, and input from the File Supervisor.

4. We shall respond to your complaint in writing, setting out the decision. We shall endeavour to do this within four weeks of the matter being referred. If we need longer to address the issue, we will inform you as soon as we become aware of the fact and let you know how long it will take.

If we cannot resolve your complaint

The Legal Ombudsman may be able to assist if you are not satisfied with our response and we have been unable to resolve the complaint with you. Please note, however, that the Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve the issue with us first in line with this policy.

You must refer your complaint to the Ombudsman:

–              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 have reasonably known that there was cause for complaint.

The Legal Ombudsman’s contact details are:

If you should have a complaint about our conduct, or believe that there has been any dishonesty or unfair treatment, you may contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).  Details of the SRA can be found at www.sra.org.uk or by writing to them at The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN.

Mediation

Please note that alternative bodies such as Pro-Mediate (www.promediate.co.uk) exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should you and we agree to use such a scheme.  Please note that we do not agree necessarily to use Pro-Mediate.

Also, should you have received our client care information, including our statement of terms and terms of business at the outset of your matter from us electronically, under the EU Regulation on Consumer Online Dispute Resolution, you may use the online dispute resolution platform (http://ec.europa.eu/odr).  Our email address for this is nicholasworsnop@chadlaw.co.uk.

February 2026