Legal Ombudsman Darren Cox Ombudsman

Decision Investigation Assessment

LeO Complaints Process

Our business process

19

6,410 resolved

7,000 investigated

56,000 contacts 18,000

complaints

Client care - Top 5 Areas of Law

3

1346

1605

1698

1394

1375

1381

1023

867

1056

1021

873

824

731

805

879

796

758

756

661

653

2364

2487

2306

1865

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000 5500 6000 6500 7000 7500 8000 8500

2012/13

2013/14

2014/15

2015/16

Complaint volumes by area of law

Residential conveyancing

Family

Wills & Probate

Personal Injury

Litigation

Other

6399

7440

8055

7630

Complaint types 2015/16

4

Delay / failure to progress

Costs Failure to advise

Failure to follow instructions

Failure to communicate

Residential conveyancing

20% 11% 24% 17% 16%

Personal Injury

30% 8% 14% 15% 20%

Family 17% 28% 17% 16% 13%

How were complaints resolved 2015/16

4

Informal resolution

Ombudsman decision

Closed

Residential conveyancing

38% 33% 28%

Personal Injury 39% 32% 29%

Family 31% 42% 27%

Remedies 2015/16

4

No remedy Compensation for emotional impact

Refund or limit fees

Compensation for financial loss

Residential conveyancing

24% 33% 11% 10%

Personal Injury 31% 34% 5% 15%

Family 36% 20% 23% 2%

Case study: Delays in post-completion

• Purchase of leasehold property

• Flat purchased in April, but property registration finalised in December

• Balance of funds and completion statement following March

FINDINGS AND REMEDY

• Firm delayed in requesting certificate of

compliance from managing agents

• No clear reason why it took a further three

months to release final balance and completion

statement

£300 compensation for emotional impact

9

10

First time buyers guide

What consumers can do? - Be clear with your lawyer why you are buying

the property.

- Visit the property on several occasions. Are there any issues to tell your solicitor/surveyor?

- Check property plans

- Ask if there is something you don’t understand.

11

First time buyers guide

What professionals can do? - Be clear about your role.

• What you can/can’t do. • Who deals with other issues.

12

Case study – major works

• Ms S bought a leasehold flat. • Year after completing she received a bill for £21,000 for

outstanding costs on major works. • Firm accepted they had received a letter about these

outstanding costs but they failed to pass this on.

Firm directed to pay a full reimbursement of £21,000

• Learning from Complaints • Losing the Plot:

Residential conveyancing complaints and their causes

• Complaints in Focus: Stamp Duty

Further publications

Complaint handling

Feeding back to the profession

9

• Attend our complaints handling course – CPD accredited.

• Visit our website for News, Research, Decisions and a dedicated section for Lawyers

• Publications - Thematic reports, guidance and consultations

• LeO news – sign up to receive it through our website

• Social media – LinkedIn and Twitter @Legal_Ombudsman

If you have any feedback or questions please email courses@legalombudsman.org.uk

Feedback and questions