Your Right to Independent Complaint Resolution
If you are not satisfied with our final response to a complaint, or if we have not resolved your complaint within eight weeks, you have the right to seek independent resolution. This page explains your rights regarding the Legal Ombudsman, a free and impartial service that helps resolve complaints about lawyers. It is designed to empower you with clear information, complementing our own internal complaints procedure.
What Is the Legal Ombudsman?
The Legal Ombudsman is an independent organisation set up to resolve complaints about legal services in England and Wales. It is not part of the courts, the government, or the legal profession. Its services are free for consumers to use, and its role is to investigate complaints about the quality of service provided by lawyers and legal service providers.
What Does the Legal Ombudsman Do?
The Legal Ombudsman investigates complaints about the service you have received. Its goal is to provide a fair and reasonable outcome based on the specific circumstances of your case. It is important to note that the Ombudsman deals with service complaints, not complaints about a barrister's professional conduct or discipline. Matters of professional conduct are handled by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).
Who Can Complain to the Legal Ombudsman?
Not everyone is eligible to use the Legal Ombudsman's service. The scheme is designed primarily for consumers and small organisations.
Eligible Complainants
You can complain to the Legal Ombudsman if you are:
- An individual (a consumer).
- A micro-enterprise (a business with fewer than 10 employees and a turnover or balance sheet of less than €2 million).
- A charity with an annual income of less than £1 million.
- A club, association, or society with an annual income of less than £1 million.
- A trustee of a trust with a net asset value of less than £1 million.
- A personal representative of an estate of a deceased person who had a complaint.
Who Cannot Complain
The following are generally not eligible to complain:
- Most businesses, unless they meet the micro-enterprise criteria.
- Charities or clubs with an annual income of £1 million or more.
- Public bodies.
- Another lawyer acting in a professional capacity.
What Can You Complain About?
The Legal Ombudsman focuses on issues related to the quality of service.
Service Complaints the Legal Ombudsman Can Help With
Examples of service issues include:
- Unreasonable delays in progressing your case.
- Poor communication or failing to keep you informed.
- Unclear or incorrect information about costs.
- Issues with your bill.
- Missing important deadlines.
- Providing a generally inadequate or poor standard of service.
What the Legal Ombudsman Cannot Help With
The Legal Ombudsman cannot usually help with:
- Complaints about a barrister’s professional conduct (this is for the BSB).
- Claims for professional negligence that should be pursued through the courts.
- Disagreements about legal strategy if the service provided was otherwise reasonable.
- Complaints about judges, magistrates, or the court system.
- The outcome of a criminal appeal or case, unless the service you received was poor.
Time Limits for Complaining to the Legal Ombudsman
To make a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman, you must meet all three of the following time limits.
- Within six months of our final response: You must contact the Ombudsman within six months of the date of our final written response to your complaint.
- Example: If you receive our final response on 1 March 2026, you must contact the Ombudsman by 1 September 2026.
- If we do not provide a final response within eight weeks of you making the complaint, you can contact the Ombudsman at that point.
- Within six years of the act or omission: Your complaint must relate to something that happened (or failed to happen) within the last six years.
- Example: If the issue you are complaining about occurred on 1 January 2022, you must contact the Ombudsman by 1 January 2028.
- Within three years of when you should have known there was a problem: You must complain within three years of the date when you reasonably should have known there was cause for complaint.
- Example: If you only became aware of a problem on 1 June 2025, you must contact the Ombudsman by 1 June 2028.
These rules can be complex. If you are unsure whether your complaint is within the time limits, you should contact the Legal Ombudsman for advice.
How to Complain to the Legal Ombudsman
The process is designed to be straightforward.
- Complain to us first: You must first raise your complaint with us and allow us up to eight weeks to provide a final response.
- Gather your documents: Collect all relevant paperwork, including our final response letter and any correspondence related to your complaint.
- Contact the Legal Ombudsman: Get in touch with them via their website, phone, or email. You will need to complete a complaint form.
- Initial assessment: An investigator will review your case to ensure it is something they can help with and that it is within the time limits.
- Investigation: The investigator will gather information from both you and us to understand what happened.
- Decision: The investigator may suggest an informal resolution. If this isn't possible, they will make a formal decision on your case.
What Remedies Can the Legal Ombudsman Order?
If the Legal Ombudsman finds that our service was unsatisfactory, they can order us to take action to put things right. Possible remedies include:
- An apology.
- A full or partial refund of any fees you paid.
- A reduction in any fees you owe.
- Compensation for any distress, inconvenience, or financial loss you suffered.
- An instruction to complete work that was not done properly.
- An order to correct mistakes in documents or advice.
The maximum amount of compensation the Legal Ombudsman can award is £50,000. The remedy ordered depends entirely on the circumstances and what the Ombudsman considers fair and reasonable.
How Long Does the Process Take?
Timescales vary depending on the complexity of the case and the Ombudsman's current workload. The process can take several weeks or, in more complex cases, many months. The Ombudsman will keep you updated on the expected timeline.
Is the Decision Binding?
If you accept a decision made by the Legal Ombudsman, it becomes legally binding on us. We must comply with any remedy the Ombudsman orders. If you do not accept the decision, you are free to pursue other options, such as taking a claim to court.
Viewing Legal Ombudsman Decisions
Published Decisions
For transparency, the Legal Ombudsman publishes data on the complaints it has resolved and the remedies it has ordered. This helps consumers make informed choices.
How to View Decision Data
You can access this information directly on the Legal Ombudsman's website via their decision data page:
http://www.legalombudsman.org.uk/raising-standards/data-and-decisions/#ombudsman-decision-data
Legal Ombudsman Contact Details
Legal Ombudsman Resources
The Legal Ombudsman’s website provides many helpful resources, including complaint form templates, detailed guidance notes, and information in accessible formats or different languages.
Questions About Your Legal Ombudsman Rights?
We are committed to being transparent about your rights. If you have questions about the Legal Ombudsman process in relation to a complaint you have with us, please ask. Remember, escalating a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman is your right if you are not satisfied with our final response.
This information is reviewed at least annually. Last reviewed: November 2025.