Most concerns about the services provided by a CLC practice can be resolved quickly by raising them promptly direct with the practice.

Those regulated by the CLC are required to comply with the CLC’s Regulatory Arrangements. These set out the professional standards we expect of all practices and individuals. We work with practices and individuals to mitigate any risk they may pose to the public by helping them comply with these Regulatory Arrangements. The CLC does not regulate solicitors or solicitors’ practices. If your complaint is about a solicitor/solicitors’ practice please contact the Solicitors’ Regulatory Authority (SRA). More

Further information about the SRA can be found here: https://www.sra.org.uk/home/home.page Less

Complaints are separated into three types:

service man

Service Complaints
Referred to the Practice

A service complaint is about the poor service a client has received from a licensed conveyancer / probate practitioner. The CLC does not investigate or determine these complaints. A service complaint can usually only be made by the client, who should always refer to their licensed conveyancer / probate practitioner first to try and resolve the issue. More

Examples of poor service are:

  • Delays
  • Failure to advise
  • Not responding to emails, letters or calls;
  • Giving a client unclear advice;
  • Charging a client an amount they are not happy with;
  • Failure to keep a client’s personal or legal documents safe;
  • Not doing the work in the timescale it should have been done.

If you are still not satisfied with the service you received after your complaint has been investigated by the practice, you can refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman. Further information can be found here: www.legalombudsman.org.uk/?portfolio=complaint-form-legal.

If you are not sure whether your complaint is for the Legal Ombudsman you may find this leaflet of use.

If the Legal Ombudsman thinks your complaint involves a breach of our Codes, they will refer your case to us directly.

The Legal Ombudsman says that referrals need to be made to them within six months of the practice’s final response.Less

court

Negligence Complaints
Referred to the Practice

Practices generally treat complaints as a negligence complaint where the compensation payable, if the complaint is agreed, is likely to be substantial and/or there is a dispute whether the practice made a mistake. All CLC Practices have professional indemnity insurance (PII) to provide cover in these situations.

Please email the CLC on clc@clc-uk.org if a Practice does not respond promptly after you have set out your concerns in writing to them. More

Most disputes are resolved quickly by the parties. If they are not, court proceedings are started which are decided by a single judge applying the law on the basis of the evidence given by the parties.

Where the CLC is aware that a complaint has been referred to insurers it will generally take no further action in relation to the complaint until it has received confirmation that the matter referred to insurers has been resolved (the claim is either paid – in whole or in part – or it is rejected by insurers).

After the matter has been determined by insurers and at the request of the complainant, the CLC will determine whether there is a conduct complaint which should be investigated (see details below) Less

conduct

Conduct Complaints
Investigated by the CLC

The CLC does not operate a general complaints service about CLC regulated persons. The CLC can only investigate complaints about the professional conduct of a CLC regulated person/practice.

You may raise a complaint about the conduct of the CLC regulated person if their actions may have breached the CLC’s Code of Conduct or our other Regulatory Arrangements. More

What is a conduct complaint?

A copy of the CLC’s Codes can be found here: https://www.clc-uk.org/handbook/the-handbook/.

We do not have power to award compensation for poor service or to reduce or refund your legal fees. Less

A Conduct Complaint will generally include breach of one or more of the following overriding principles (set out in the CLC’s Code of Conduct):

  • Act with independence and integrity;
  • Maintain high standards of work;
  • Act in the best interests of your Clients;
  • Deal with regulators and ombudsmen in an open and co-operative way;
  • Promote equality of access and service

A Conduct Complaint will often include mismanagement of client money.

complaints_form

To make a conduct complaint please complete the Complaints Form. More

You will be asked to provide documentary evidence in support of your complaint. Such documentation should support the grounds of the complaint and must be relevant to your complaint. Less

Complaints and investigations: What to expect from the CLC

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