This policy applies to complaints made by individuals or organisations who are not our clients, but who believe they have been impacted by our conduct or the way we have delivered our services to a client and wish to raise a complaint.
If you are a client of Ward Hadaway LLP (“the firm”) (including a representative of a client) or a beneficiary of an Estate or Trust, where the firm acted or acts for the Estate or Trust, please refer to our Client Complaints Policy here.
We ask you to note that:
- Whilst Ward Hadaway LLP has a duty to act in the best interests of its clients; it must do so in accordance with professional obligations set out by its regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
- We may take steps or actions such as sending correspondence or taking Court action to which non clients object. Doing so, does not mean we have not acted professionally or within the law.
- We cannot discuss our clients instructions to us or advice we give to our clients with non-clients.
- If you have a legal representative acting for you and have a concern about how we have handled a matter you should discuss that with your legal representative. If you complain directly to us and have a legal representative it is very unlikely that we will be able to correspond with you directly as our professional obligations prevent us from corresponding directly with the client of another solicitor.
- Making a complaint as a non-client
In some circumstances, for instance in court proceedings, any concerns you have may be best addressed by the court itself.
If you wish to raise an issue directly with us then we ask that you do so in writing, directly to the person or team dealing with the matter. The name and contact details of the person or team dealing with the matter should be in any correspondence you have received from us.
How we will handle your complaint
We will make an initial assessment of the issues raised and confirm whether there is a more appropriate way for your concerns to be addressed e.g. via the court or your own legal representative.
Your complaint will be considered by the team dealing with the matter concerned, or by or on behalf of our Complaints Partner.
We will aim to acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days of receipt of your complaint.
There might be occasions when we decide not to respond to your complaint. This could be because we consider your complaint is vexatious, or repetitive in nature or because it conflicts with our duties towards our clients. If this is the case we will let you know.
Where we decide to respond to your complaint we will aim to do so in writing within 1 calendar month of our acknowledgment.
We may ask you for clarification of your complaint or aspects of it to help us to understand what you are complaining about or the outcome you are seeking before we can consider your complaint.
In some circumstances we may need longer to consider your complaint. If we have to change any of the timescales set out above we will let you know.
How to contact us:
E-mail: complaints@wardhadaway.com
Telephone: 0330 137 3000
Correspondence: Ward Hadaway LLP, Sandgate House, 102 Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3DX
If you remain unhappy
If your concern relates to our professional conduct you can refer your complaint to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
You can contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority at:
Solicitors Regulation Authority, The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham B1 1RN.
Telephone: 0370 606 2555,