Complaints Procedure
We are committed to providing a high-quality legal service to all our clients. It is the company’s policy to treat complaints seriously with the intention of learning from them to improve procedures and standards.

If you have a complaint, please contact Catherine McCullagh who is the Complaints Manager. Catherine can be contacted at:

Parker Bird Whiteley Limited
Hammond’s Yard
46-48 King Street
Huddersfield
West Yorkshire
HD1 2QT

Telephone number: 01484 423300

Email: enquiries@parkerbird-whiteley.co.uk

In the event the compliant is about Catherine McCullagh, the person with the responsibility and investigating the complaint is Ian Whiteley.

Complaints Procedure

What will happen when you make a complaint?

  • 1. The complaints handler will send you a letter acknowledging your complaint. In that letter we will confirm our understanding of the nature of your complaint. We will also let you know the name of the person who will be dealing with the complaint.
  • 2. We will record your complaint in our central register and open a complaints file.
  • 3. We will then start to investigate your complaint which will normally involve the complaints handler requesting your file of papers and reviewing the information in the file. The complaints handler will discuss the nature of your complaint with the fee-earner complained about and ask for a response to your complaint. The complaints handler will form an initial opinion of your complaint.
  • 4. The complaints handler may invite you to meet the member of staff complained about and the complaints handler themselves with a view to resolving your complaint.
  • 5. If such a meeting takes place, we will write to you within five days of the meeting to confirm the nature and content of the meeting and any resolutions agreed.
  • 6. If you do not request a meeting or if the complaints handler does not feel a meeting is appropriate or necessary, we will then send you a detailed reply to your complaint including any suggestions for resolving the matter.
  • 7. At this stage, if you are still not satisfied with the response from the complaint’s handler, you can contact us again requesting a review of the decision. We will review the decision which may result in the original decision being upheld or further proposals being made to resolve the matter. The above procedure in total should not exceed 8 weeks. If this time scale needs to be amended, we will contact you to let you know why.
  • 8. We will write to you to confirm our final position on your complaint. If the complaint is not resolved within this time, or if you are not happy with the handling of the complaint, you are able to complain to the Legal Ombudsman; (PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ, telephone: 0300 555 0333, website www.legalombudsman.org.uk).

The Legal Ombudsman

  • You are free to refer any complaint about our work, fees or level of service but there are some conditions and time limits.
  • The Legal Ombudsman will expect you to have made the compliant to Parker Bird Whiteley and given us the opportunity to resolve the complaint before they will get involved.
  • Please be aware that any complaint to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within six months of you having received a final written response from us about your complaint. Complaints to the Legal Ombudsman must usually be made within one year of the act or omission about which you are complaining occurring, or from when you should have known about or become aware that there were grounds for complaint.
  • You can find useful guidance and resources on their website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
  • Contact details;
    Telephone: 0300 555 0333;
    Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
  • A template and guide to making a complaint can be found on the Legal Ombudsman website if you haven’t already made a complaint.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority

We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (“the SRA”). The SRA work with solicitor’s firms to make sure we comply with the SRA Principles, to ensure we behave independently, fairly and with integrity in order to best serve the interests of our clients and the public interest. The SRA welcome any information about dishonesty or breaches of their principles. Examples of where the SRA intervene are as follows:

  • Dishonesty or deliberately overcharging clients.
  • Taking or losing client money.
  • Treating client’s unfairly because of their age, a disability or other characteristic.

The SRA also have useful guidance and resources in relation to reporting your solicitor on their website; www.sra.org.uk (Telephone: 0370 606 2555)

For legal representation or advice, call us on: 01484 423300 or