Complain about a solicitor
Solicitors must follow the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Code of Conduct. It’s a set of rules to make sure solicitors treat you fairly and professionally.
You can complain if you are not satisfied with issues such as:
- how your solicitor handled your case
- the cost for their services
What to do first
Firstly, you should complain to your solicitor. All solicitors have a process for handling complaints.
When you make a complaint, you should:
- complain as soon as possible
- be clear on what the issue is and how you would like it to be resolved
- give them up to eight weeks to resolve your complaint
Download a formal complaint letter template from the Legal Ombudsman website to complain to your solicitor.
When to complain to the Legal Ombudsman
If you have complained to your solicitor about poor service and you are not satisfied with their response, you can contact the Legal Ombudsman.
The Legal Ombudsman deals with poor service, such as:
- delayed or unclear communication
- problems with your bill
- loss of documents
You can contact the Legal Ombudsman by:
- calling them on 0300 555 0333
- going to the Legal Ombudsman website
- emailing them at enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
They will keep in contact with you and make sure your case is passed to an investigator for assessment.
When to report a solicitor to the SRA
If you have complained to your solicitor about breaching the SRA Code of Conduct and you are not satisfied with their response, you can report them to the SRA.
Solicitors must follow the code of conduct. Examples of a breach include:
- dishonesty
- fraud
- discrimination
