How To Complain About Solicitors

In an ideal world, the work of any legal expert you hire would be perfect every time. Occasionally though, things go wrong. Here’s how to complain about solicitors you’ve hired when you’ve not been satisfied with the service you’ve received:

Let us know a little about your situation on 0845 1391399 or by completing a Free Online Enquiry today and we can connect you with a legal specialist who can give you the kind of advice you’re looking for.

What Can You Complain About?

It’s important to know that all professional solicitors in the UK must comply with the SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority) code of conduct.

This code lays out the way a solicitor should act in the performance of their duties so that they are always fair and responsible.

Breaches of this code that you might wish to complain about could include situations where your solicitor:

Was dishonest in some way
Didn’t handle your case very well
Charged you too much for their services or had some kind of billing irregularity
Committed some kind of fraud
Discriminated against you in some way
Delayed progress on your case (either deliberately or through negligence)
Gave you bad advice or failed to advise you
Did not follow instructions you gave them
Did not keep you informed about the progress of your case
Did not reply to your communications

Where Do I Make Complaints About Solicitors I’ve Used?

Complaints about solicitors should be made in one of the following ways:

Complaints procedure – this is the place to start. Part of the way solicitors are supposed to operate ensures each law firm has an official complaints procedure. Other authorities will expect you to have at least tried to address your solicitor directly first.
Complain to the legal ombudsman – if you aren’t happy with the way your solicitor handled your complaint, you can complain to the legal ombudsman (an independent, free, and impartial third party).
Complain to the SRA – an alternative, if you have complained to your solicitor and were dissatisfied with their response, would be to complain to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

How Do I Make A Complaint?

There are a few things that remain true about making a complaint no matter where you want to make it:

Make your complaint as soon as possible
Be very clear about what the problem you experienced was
Suggest how you would like them to resolve it
Wait a reasonable time for their reply (eight weeks is usually enough)
Only if you are still dissatisfied should you consider escalating the situation

What Are The Most Common Complaints About Solicitors?

Every time someone complains to the impartial legal ombudsman, they make a note of what it was about. The most common complaints about solicitors come from the following fields:

Conveyancing – it won’t be a surprise to most that the lengthy residential conveyancing process is the source of a huge 1 out of 4 complaints about solicitors made in the 2018-19 period. However, it is important to note that this is one of the largest fields of law.
Personal injury, wills and probate, and family law – are all responsible for around 13-14% each but they also make up a large amount of legal work carried out in the UK.
Litigation – is just behind those as the subject of around 10% of all complaints received by the ombudsman.

Can I Uue A Solicitor For Professional Negligence?

Yes, if you meet the specific terms for professional negligence you can – after complaining to the legal ombudsman or the SRA – consider suing your solicitor.

This is only the case if you can show your solicitor breached what is known as their “duty of care” (i.e. they failed to deliver their services with the level of expertise you might reasonably expect) and that you suffered losses or damage as a result.

As of 2001, there is a special procedure in place to ensure that you can’t normally go straight into the litigation process. You need to first be able to show you tried other methods, such as your solicitor’s complaints procedure and appealing to the legal ombudsman.