Legal Ombudsman

Overview

The Legal Ombudsman handles complaints about the service provided by lawyers (solicitors, barristers, licensed conveyancers, costs lawyers, notaries, patent attorneys, trade mark attorneys, and Costs Lawyers Standards Board firms). Complaints about a lawyer's professional conduct (rather than service) go to the SRA, BSB, or CILEx Regulation as appropriate. Maximum award £75,000 (£150,000 for complaints made on or after 28 April 2025).

What it handles

• Poor service: delays, failure to keep informed, costs disputes
• Failure to follow instructions
• Refusal to release the file or transfer to a new solicitor
• Disagreements about bills (along with a possible assessment under the Solicitors Act 1974)

Fees

• Consumers and small businesses: Free

Deadlines

• Lawyer's final response → 6 months to refer to the Ombudsman
• Act/omission complained of → 1 year (or 1 year from awareness)

Process

1. Step 1: Complain to your provider

   You must first tell your legal service provider, in writing, that you're unhappy with their service before the Legal Ombudsman can help.

2. Step 2: Provider responds

   Your service provider has up to eight weeks to put things right and send a final response before you can bring the complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.

3. Step 3: Bring complaint to LeO

   You submit an online complaint form, providing a copy of the complaint you sent your provider and a copy of their response to you.

4. Step 4: Early resolution review

   The Ombudsman's early resolution team reviews the complaint, which can take up to 5 weeks, to see if it can be resolved without a full investigation.

5. Step 5: Investigation assigned

   If early resolution isn't possible the case is assigned to an investigator who gathers evidence from both sides; the page states it is currently taking 9-12 months for most cases to be accepted for investigation.

6. Step 6: Ombudsman final decision

   If the investigator's case decision isn't accepted by both sides, an ombudsman reviews the evidence and makes a final decision; there is no appeal against it.

Official sources