Complaints procedure

CH Jefferson & Co and CH Jefferson & Co Ltd aim to provide a high quality of service at all times. If you would like to discuss with us how our service could be improved or if you are dissatisfied with the service that you are receiving please let us know by contacting Helen Staniforth or Claire Phillips by telephone 01724 282236, email hstaniforth@chjefferson.com or cphillips@chjefferson.com or post to our office address. All complaints will be officially recorded and we will acknowledge such contact within 2-3 days.

We undertake to look into any complaint carefully and promptly and to do all we can to explainthe position to you. We will provide to the complainant a full written response as a result of the complaint, and this will be provided within 14 days of the initial contact. If the matter is complex and it takes longer to deal with your complaint, we will contact you within those 14 days to give you an approximate timescale of when you can expect a response. If we believe it would be helpful, we may suggest a meeting or phone call to try and resolve your complaint. Meetings will be held in confidence and you may have someone to accompany you at the meeting.

What to do if we cannot resolve your complaint

In respect of a service provided by CH Jefferson & Co –

  • If we do not answer your complaint to your satisfaction you may take up the matter with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants at 1/11 John Adam Street, London, WC2N6AU, UK; telephone 02070595000; email complaintassessment@accaglobal.com. This should be done promptly and in any event no later than six months after exhausting our procedures.

In respect of a service provided by CH Jefferson & Co Ltd-

  • If after receiving our final written response to your complaint you feel we have not resolved your complaint to your satisfaction or we have failed to provide you with a final written response to your complaint within eight weeks of you submitting your complaint, you can have your complaint independently looked at by the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal Ombudsman investigates problems about poor service relating to the provision of legal services by authorised persons such as CILEX Practitioner (ACCA-Probate).
  • Before accepting a complaint for investigation, the Legal Ombudsman will check that you have tried to resolve your complaint with us first. If you have, then you must take your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
  • Within six months of receiving a final response to your complaint, and
  • No more than one year from the date of act/omission that gave rise to the complaint; or
  • No more than one year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.

If you would like more information about the Legal Ombudsman, please contact them:

Visit: www.legalombudsman.org.uk

Call: 0300 555 0333 between 9am to 5pm.

Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk

Legal Ombudsman PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 0EH

  • Where your complaint relates to the misconduct of a CILEX Practitioner (ACCA-Probate), you can refer your complaint free of charge to CILEx Regulation for them to investigate at:

Website: https://cilexregulation.org.uk

Telephone: 01234 845770

Email: info@cilexregulation.org.uk

Post: CILEx Regulation, Room 301 Endeavour House, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire, MK45 4HS.

Misconduct complaints must be made within 12 months of the act or omission that gave rise to the complaint or within 12 months of the complainant having knowledge of the act or omission that gave rise to the complaint, whichever is the greater.

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution bodies such as ACCA at 1/11 John Adam Street, London,

WC2N6AU, UK (telephone 02070595000; email complaintassessment@accaglobal.com) exist which are competent to deal with complaints about legal services should you and our firm wish to use such an ADR body. We agree to use ACCA. Complaints must be made within 12 months of the act or omission that gave rise to the complaint or within 12 months of the complainant having knowledge of the act or omission that gave rise to the complaint, whichever is the greater.