Making a Direct Complaint
Jonathan Lynch makes every effort to provide you with an individual, efficient and professional service. Over ten years of excellent customer service has resulted in Jonathan Lynch receiving no complaints about his service, but Jonathan Lynch is never complacent about standards. Each client knows that they can contact Jonathan Lynch directly and by several means, with a very rapid response time.
If, therefore, you are, at any point, unhappy or concerned about the service that has been provided, you should inform Jonathan Lynch immediately so that he can do his best to resolve the problem. Only by making contact can your concerns be addressed - please do not hesitate in making contact.
As Jonathan Lynch is a sole practitioner, he works alone. Consequently, you will need to contact Jonathan Lynch directly to discuss your concerns and he will do his best to resolve any issues.
All complaints will be dealt with fairly, promptly and free of charge.
Informal Complaints Procedure
In the first instance, Jonathan Lynch will seek to resolve your complaint informally. This can take a number of forms, including telephone discussions, e-mail exchanges or in-person meetings.
If, after 15 working days of you informing Jonathan Lynch of your concerns, informal attempts to resolve the dispute are unsuccessful, the dispute will automatically become subject to the formal complaints procedure. Whilst Jonathan Lynch will still be the point of contact for the complaint, the formal complaints procedure will provide a documentary trail that can be used to take the complaint further if required - please see below for such further steps.
Formal Complaints Procedure
Your complaint will be formally recorded on a register of complaints.
Jonathan Lynch will send you a letter via recorded delivery within 5 working days of the formal complaints procedure beginning. This letter will acknowledge your complaint as a formal complaint and set out the issues as understood by Jonathan Lynch. You will be asked to reply, in writing, with your position on the matter within 10 working days of receipt of the letter. You will have the opportunity in your reply to correct any errors in Jonathan Lynch’s understanding, expand upon what has already been discussed and add further details not previously discussed.
It is recommended that you send your reply via recorded delivery for proof of delivery.
Within 10 working days of receipt of your letter, Jonathan Lynch will either:
i. respond with a letter addressing the concerns raised or, if it is agreed that there has been a failing on the part of Jonathan Lynch, suggesting a resolution of the issue; or
ii. invite you, by letter, for a meeting, either in person or via video conferencing facilities, to discuss the matter further. You will need to reply to that letter, either by letter, telephone call or e-mail, to confirm that you wish to attend the meeting and so reply within 10 working days of receipt of the letter. The date and time of the meeting will be agreed to the satisfaction of both parties with the aim of holding the meeting within 10 working days of your acceptance of the invite, although this period can be extended if both parties agree. A meeting in person will be at the office of Jonathan Lynch. Such a meeting will be audio-recorded and an electronic copy of that recording will be provided to you, via electronic transfer, for your own records. A letter will also be sent to you within the 10 working days following the meeting to confirm what was discussed and any resolution agreed.
If, once the above process is concluded, you still remain dissatisfied, you may refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman - please see below for further information.
For clarity, the timescales that will apply to the formal complaints procedure are:
1. A letter to you confirming commencement of the formal complaints procedure: within 5 working days of the informal complaints procedure concluding.
2. Your response to the letter at point 1: within 10 working days of receipt of said letter.
3. A letter in response to your letter at point 2: within 10 working days of receipt of said letter.
4. If you are invited to a meeting, you are to indicate acceptance of the invite within 10 working days of the receipt of the invite.
5. If there is to be a meeting, the meeting will be held within 10 working days of your acceptance of the invite unless both parties agree to extend this period.
6. If a meeting is held, a letter will be sent to you confirming the outcome of the meeting within 10 working days of the meeting.
Please note that, if you do not reply within the timescales set out above, your complaint will be treated as resolved.
Jonathan Lynch will endeavour to resolve all formal complaints within 8 weeks from the date of the letter confirming the commencement of the formal complaints process, although any delay in holding a meeting will clearly lengthen the process. Jonathan Lynch will confirm the reason for any delays on his part in one of the formal letters referred to above.
There are no charges payable by you for the implementation of this policy.
If you require any further information in relation to the above, please do not hesitate to contact Jonathan Lynch. He will make every effort to ensure that the process is completed with clarity and integrity.
Legal Ombudsman
If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of the formal complaints procedure, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman. They will look at your complaint independently and it will not affect how your on-going case will be handled.
Before accepting a complaint for investigation, however, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with Jonathan Lynch first. If you have, the Legal Ombudsman will then check if you have contacted them:
1. Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint; and
2. No more than six years from the date of act/omission; or
3. 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. Their contact details are:
Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9.00 to 17.00.
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ
Solicitors Regulation Authority
Jonathan Lynch and Lynch Law are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (’SRA’).
The SRA's Principles state that a legal professional must act:
1. in a way that upholds the constitutional principle of the rule of law, and the proper administration of justice.
2.in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in the solicitors' profession and in legal services provided by authorised persons.
3. with independence.
4. with honesty.
5. with integrity.
6. in a way that encourages equality, diversity and inclusion.
7. in the best interests of each client.
If you are concerned with the behaviour of Jonathan Lynch or believe that he has breached one of the principles stated above, you can report your concerns matter directly to the SRA. The process for such a report is explained in full on the SRA’s website on the following page:
https://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/
In summary, to report a solicitor or firm to the SRA, you should:
A. Set out your concerns clearly;
B. Identify individuals you consider responsible; and
C. Attach any evidence that you have in support of your complaint.
There is a SRA Report Form that you will need to complete. The form can be downloaded from the webpage stated above. You will need to send the form to the Reports Team at:
The Cube
199 Wharfside Street
Birmingham
B1 1RN
DX 720293 BIRMINGHAM 47
or
report@sra.org.uk
For full details of how to contact the SRA, what the SRA will do and for what to do if you are not satisfied with the SRA’s conduct after receipt of your report, please visit the SRA’s webpage stated above.