Raising a concern
Most concerns can be sorted out quickly by speaking to the solicitor dealing with your matter. If you would prefer to speak to someone else, or you are not satisfied with the response, you can make a formal complaint.
How to make a complaint
You can make a complaint:
- by phone on 0141 471 9166;
- by email to legalteam@claritysimplicity.co.uk;
- in writing to Clarity Simplicity Ltd, 34 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6UR.
It helps if you tell us your name, the matter your complaint relates to, what has gone wrong, and what you would like us to do to put it right.
What happens next
- We acknowledge your complaint and tell you who will investigate it.
- We investigate, which may include reviewing the file and speaking to the people involved. We may contact you to clarify points.
- We give you our response in writing, explaining what we found and what we will do. If we need more time, we will tell you why.
If you are not satisfied
If you remain unhappy after our final response, you can take your complaint to the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC), the independent body that handles complaints about lawyers in Scotland. The SLCC will usually expect you to have complained to us first and to have given us time to respond, normally at least 28 days.
Time limits apply to complaints to the SLCC. For a complaint about the service you received, the SLCC's time limit is generally three years from the date the service ended or the date you became aware of the problem. You can find full details, and make a complaint, at scottishlegalcomplaints.org.uk.
Complaints about a solicitor's professional conduct are passed by the SLCC to the Law Society of Scotland to investigate.
Complaints about someone else's solicitor
If you are a beneficiary and are unhappy with how another firm is dealing with an estate, you would normally complain to that firm first, and then to the SLCC. Our guide on how long an executor has to settle an estate explains the other options available to beneficiaries.