Tel: 020 7603 7245
Fax: 020 7603 3302

Kensington High Street DX47208

e-mail: paulgardiner@gardinerssolicitors.co.uk

Opening hours 9.30 - 17.30

Gardiners is situated at the Olympia end of North End Road, within 10 minutes' walk of Hammersmith, Barons Court and West Kensington tube stations.

All work is conducted by fully qualified solicitor, Paul Gardiner who qualified in June 1983.

We want to give you the best possible service. However, if at any point you become unhappy or concerned about the service we have provided then you should inform us immediately, so that we can do our best to resolve the problem. In the first instance it may be helpful to contact the person who is working on your case to discuss your concerns and we will do our best to resolve any issues. Please find our internal written complaints procedure which is as follows.

Responsible person — Paul Gardiner

Responding to complaints, keeping complaint material up to date, liaison with the Legal Ombudsman, the SRA and the insurers.

• A complaint is any expression of client dissatisfaction however it is expressed, in writing, over the telephone or in person. We take the view that it is better to have a low threshold for a complaint and act quickly in the expectation that this minimises the potential for more serious dis-satisfaction later on.
• Clients are notified of our complaints procedure in the initial client care letter.
• Complaints must be dealt with sympathetically, constructively and quickly.
• Any client wishing to make a complaint should be asked to put it in writing unless this causes the client particular difficulties in which case the complaint can be recorded over the telephone or in the client's presence at the office.
• Care should be taken to ensure the complaint is recorded correctly.

On receipt all complaints should be referred to and recorded by a partner who will arrange for the complaint to be investigated. A letter of acknowledgement will be sent within seven days stating who will be dealing with the complaint and including a copy of the complaints handling policy which explains what happens next. The aim will be to send a substantive response within 14 days. That response may either agree that there is a foundation for the complaint and offer a remedy or set out an explanation and invite the client to comment further (within 14 days).

Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your case.

The Legal Ombudsman can help you if we are unable to resolve your complaint ourselves. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how we handle your case. Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

• Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint

• and

• No more than six years from the date of act/omission;

• or

• No more than three years from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please contact them.

Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9.00 to 17.00.

Email: enquiries@legalombudsmen.org.uk

Write: Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ.

The Legal Ombudsman time limits From 1 April 2023, for referring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman will be no later than:

• one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about;

• or

• one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about;

• or

• one year from the date when the complainant should have realised that there was cause for complaint.

The time limit rule that requires complainants to bring their complaint remains within six months of the date of the final complaint response.

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.