Our Commitment to You
Britlaw Solicitors is committed to providing a high standard of service to every client. If something goes wrong, or you are unhappy with any aspect of the service you have received, we want to know — your feedback helps us put things right and improve our standards.
Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your ongoing matter.
Escalating Your Concerns
In the first instance, we encourage you to raise any concerns directly with the solicitor handling your matter. They are committed to addressing and resolving issues promptly wherever possible.
If you remain unhappy, or would prefer not to raise the matter with them directly, you can make a formal complaint to our Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP), who oversees our complaints process and will personally ensure your complaint receives proper attention:
Britlaw Solicitors — Formal Complaints
125 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2BY
Email: zaheer@britlawsolicitors.com
How to Share Your Concerns
We encourage you to put your complaint in writing where possible, as this helps us understand the issue clearly. If that isn't convenient, you are welcome to raise your complaint by telephone or in person. If a complaint is made verbally, we will record it in writing and send you confirmation.
To protect client confidentiality, we are not able to address complaints made through social media or public review platforms — please contact us directly using the details above.
What Counts as a Complaint
We treat a complaint as any expression of dissatisfaction, whether written or verbal, about the service we have provided or about a member of our team. This includes complaints about our fees.
Raising a complaint about a bill, whether through this procedure or with the Legal Ombudsman, does not automatically pause your account, and we may continue to take steps to recover any fees properly due.
Complaints Involving Senior Staff
Where a complaint concerns the person who would otherwise be responsible for overseeing the complaints process — for example, our COLP or another senior member of the team — we will offer you the option of an independent review by an external, suitably qualified solicitor with no connection to the firm. If you request this, we will arrange the reviewer, provide them with access to the relevant file and complaint documentation, and cover the reasonable cost of the review ourselves. The reviewer will provide a written outcome, normally within 21–28 days.
The Complaints Resolution Process
Acknowledgement
We will acknowledge your complaint within 7 days, confirming who is handling it, a summary of the issues raised, and the next steps.
Investigation
We will review your file, relevant correspondence, and discuss the matter with anyone involved in handling your case. We may contact you for further information.
Response
Depending on what the investigation finds, our response may include an explanation, an apology, remedial action, a reduction in fees, or another appropriate resolution.
Final Response
We aim to provide a full written response within 8 weeks of receiving your complaint. If we are unable to meet this timescale, we will write to tell you why and give you a revised date.
Your Right to Appeal
If you remain unhappy with our final response, you have the right to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, an independent body that handles complaints about legal services.
You must normally do this within six months of receiving our final response, and within one year of the act or omission you are complaining about, or within one year of when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
You may also be able to refer a complaint earlier than usual — for example, if we have not resolved it within 8 weeks of your original complaint, or in other special circumstances the Ombudsman considers appropriate.
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH
Telephone: 0300 555 0333 (overseas: +44 121 245 3050)
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Please note that if your complaint relates to a bill currently under court assessment, the Legal Ombudsman will be unable to consider it during that period.
Concerns About Our Conduct
If your concern relates to our professional conduct — for example, dishonesty, discrimination, or how we have handled client money — rather than the standard of service itself, you can raise this with the Solicitors Regulation Authority:
Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN
Website: www.sra.org.uk
The Legal Ombudsman deals with service and fee complaints; the SRA deals with conduct concerns. If you're not sure which applies to your situation, contact either and they will be able to point you in the right direction.
Accessibility
This complaints procedure is available on request, and we will make reasonable adjustments for clients who need information in a different format or language.