Our Complaints Handling Procedure  

We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). We are committed  to high quality legal advice and client care and aim to offer all our clients an efficient and effective  service. However, if our clients would like to discuss how the service to them could be improved,  the level of their bill, or should there be any aspect of our service with which they are not satisfied,  we ask them to please contact the person in our firm responsible for complaints handling: Melanie  Cooke, Director of Football Law Associates, on 0333 939 0063 or via email: m.cooke@football - law.co.uk or by post to Football Law Associates, Bowtell House, 254c High Road, Benfleet Essex  SS7 5LA. If your complaint is in relation to the conduct of our Complaints Handling  Representative, we will make alternative arrangements for the investigation and handling of your  complaint.  

We are committed to high quality legal advice and client care and are keen to resolve any  concerns as soon as possible and in order to do this, will follow our complaints handling  procedure.  

We will endeavour to handle your complaint promptly, fairly and free of charge.  Our complaints procedure is as follows:  

Step One:  

If they have not already done so, we ask our clients to let us know the full nature of the problem.  Step Two:  

Our Complaints Handling Representative will write to the client acknowledging their complaint  within five working days. In this letter, we shall confirm what happens next.  

Step Three:  

Our complaints Handling Representative shall then investigate the matter by reviewing the  matter file and speaking to the member of staff concerned within ten working days of  acknowledging receipt of the complaint. If, for some reason, the matter cannot be investigated  in this timeframe, then we will write to the client notifying them of this together with the reason  why and giving a revised timescale.  

Once the investigation has been completed, our Complaints Handling Representative shall invite  the client to a meeting to discuss the issue(s) they have raised and hopefully resolve the  complaint. This could be a meeting, video conference call or telephone call and the client’s  preference will be taken into account along as well as how best the matter may be dealt with.  This process of engagement will take place within ten working days of our concluding the  investigation of the matter. Following the meeting or call, our Complaints Handling  Representative shall write to the client within five working days of the meeting or call to confirm  the discussion and the solution agreed upon.  

If the client does not want to or is unable to attend such a meeting or engage in a discussion (or  the meeting or call is not necessary), we will be happy to send the client a detailed, written  response, including the proposed solution, within fifteen working days of our concluding the  investigation of the matter. 

Step Four:  

If the client is satisfied with our response following the above steps, that will be the end of the  matter. However, if the client is not satisfied, they will be invited to contact our Complaints  Handling Representative again and they will arrange for another senior staff member who is  unconnected with the matter to review the decision. They will write to the client within ten  working days of receiving the request with confirmation of the firm’s final position in relation to  the complaint, outlining the reasons and any final redress that is offered.  

Step Five: Other avenues  

Clients must always try complaining to us first. In most cases they will not be able to take their  complaint further without allowing us the opportunity to put things right.  

Legal Ombudsman  

We are permitted a period of eight weeks to consider the complaint. If for any reason we are  unable to resolve the problem between us within that timeframe, then our clients are advised  that they may ask the Legal Ombudsman to consider the complaint.  

Clients are free to refer any complaint about our work, fees or level of service but there are some  conditions and time limits. Please be aware that any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must  usually be made within six months of the client having received a final written response from us  about their complaint. Complaints to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within one  year of the act or omission about which the client is complaining occurring or from when the  client should have known about or become aware that there were grounds for complaint.  

For further information, please contact the Legal Ombudsman on 0300 555 0333 or visit  www.legalombudsman.org.uk. The Legal Ombudsman may be contacted at PO Box 6167, Slough  SL1 0EH.  

  

Solicitors Regulation Authority  

If someone thinks a solicitor might be dishonest or you have concerns about their ethics or  integrity, they have the right to notify our regulator, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).  There are no time limits for making a report but there are limits on what the SRA will consider.  Please note that the SRA is not able to deal with issues of poor service (complaints of this nature  should instead be referred to the Legal Ombudsman). For further information about the SRA’s  role, please contact the SRA or visit:  

https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor.page#report.  

Further Information  

For further information about our complaints handling procedures, please do not hesitate to  contact Melanie Cooke on 0333 939 0063 or via email to: m.cooke@football-law.co.uk or by post  to Football Law Associates, Bowtell House, 254c High Road, Benfleet Essex SS7 5LA.