Complaints Procedure

We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. When something goes wrong we need you to tell us about it. This will help us improve our standards.

If you have a complaint, please contact us with the details. You can do this by contacting our Managing Director:-

Mr Russell Dutton, Beeston Shenton Solicitors. 64 King St, Newcastle, Staffordshire,
ST5 1JB; Tel: 01782 662424; Email: Russell.Dutton@beestonshenton.co.uk

Acknowledgment of Complaint

1. We will send you a letter acknowledging receipt of your complaint within three days of receiving it, enclosing our complaints procedure. This may be done by post or email.

Stage 1 – Complaint Investigation

2. The head of the team of the member of staff who has handled your matter will then investigate your complaint.
3. In the alternative, if the complaint is about the head of any of our teams, your complaint will immediately become a stage 2 matter.
4. If the complaint relates to our Managing Director, then it immediately becomes a stage 3 complaint.
5. They may invite you to attend a meeting or telephone conference to discuss and hopefully resolve your complaint. They will do this within 14 days of your complaint acknowledgement letter.
6. Within three days of any meeting, they will write to you to confirm what took place and any solutions that have been agreed with you.
7. If you do not want a meeting or it is not needed or possible, the head of department of your matter will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including their suggestions for resolving the matter, within 21 days of your acknowledgement letter.

Stage 2 – Complaint Investigation Review

8. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you should contact us again and we will arrange for our Managing Director to review the complaint decision made by the head of department.
9. Our Managing Director will then write to you within 14 days of your request giving their decision.

Stage 3 – Complaint Final Review

10. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied, you can request that the firms Director, Paul Shenton makes a final review of your complaint and the outcomes and decisions made up to this point.
11. The Director will then write to you within 14 days of receiving your request for a final review and will confirm our final position on your complaint and explaining our reasons.
12. In the event that the complaint relates to Mr Shenton the process will be conducted by an associate director nominated for that purpose.

Legal Ombudsman

13. If you are still not satisfied you can contact the Legal Ombudsman about your complaint at:-

Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH

A complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must be made:

• 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 reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help 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.

Visit their website to see how you can raise your concerns with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.