McNeil & Co is committed to high quality legal advice and client care. However we do have a Complaints Procedure for those hopefully rare occurrences when you feel we have not lived up to our high aspirations. This is set out below:

1. We aim to handle all complaints promptly, fairly and effectively.

2. You are always entitled to complain if any aspect of our service causes you to question whether we have acted inefficiently, improperly or other than in accordance with your instructions.

3. You should complain initially to the fee earner with conduct of your case, preferably in writing. In the event that he/she is unable to resolve your complaint please contact the Firm’s Director, Mark McNeil or by post to our Lincoln office (141-142 High Street, Lincoln LN5 7PJ).

4. A complaint can include dissatisfaction over a bill.

5. Whilst we would hope that these time limits would be adhered to, it may be in certain instances, that the investigation of the complaint, operational/ domestic commitments of the Firm or its personnel, or indeed your own circumstances, may require an extension of these times. We recognise however that time is of the essence in the nature of matters such as these and will thus strive to comply with them so far as possible.

6. If you are still unhappy at the decision upon review or if your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction within 8 weeks of the complaint being made to this firm you may have a right to complain to the Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6806, Wolverhampton, WV1 9WJ. Telephone 0300 555 0333, website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk, email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Who can make a complaint to Legal Ombudsman (LeO)?
Members of the public who have a problem with their legal service provider can complain to LeO. The Legal Ombudsman prefers that you approach them directly, but you can ask a friend, relative or anyone else to get in touch for you. If you use another service provider to complain to LeO, the service provider may charge you a fee. If you want another person to act on your behalf you will need to advise LeO that the person has your permission to speak to the Legal Ombudsman directly
You can also complain if you are, or represent, any of the following:
1) A business or enterprise that was a micro-enterprise when you made a complaint to the service provider;
2) a charity with an annual income net of tax of less than £1 million when you made a complaint to the service provider;
3) a club, association or organisation, the affairs of which are managed by its members or a committee or committees of its members, that had an annual income net of tax of less than £1 million when you made a complaint to the service provider;
4) a trustee of a trust that had an asset value of less than £1 million when you made a complaint to the service provider;
5) a personal representative or a beneficiary of an estate of a person who, before he/she died, had not made the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.
For (5) above the condition is that the services to which the complaint relates were provided by the service provider to a person who has subsequently died; AND had not, by his or her death, already referred the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.
The Legal Ombudsman cannot help if you have a disagreement with another beneficiary or executor.

7. As of 01 April 2023 the time periods for reporting a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman is no longer than:
• Within six months of receiving our final response to your complaint
and
• No more than one year from the date of the act or omission being complained about; or
• No more than one year from the date when you should reasonably have known that there was cause for complaint.

Complaints to the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA)

The SRA deal with cases where firms or those they regulate have breached the SRA Principles.  Most of the time, complaints about Solicitors are about poor service, and therefore should be sent to the Legal Ombudsman (see above).  If the Legal Ombudsman thinks your case involves a breach of the SRA Principles, they will refer your case to the SRA.  Likewise, if you report a Solicitor to the SRA for poor service, they will refer your case to the Legal Ombudsman.  Further information in this regard can be found on the SRA website, namely www.sra.org.uk