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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
