If something has gone wrong
Tell us early and tell us plainly. Most things that go wrong in a cross-border matter are fixable while they are still small, and a complaint made at the time is far easier to put right than one made at the end.
How to complain
Email [email protected], or telephone 0330 684 5332. You do not need to use the word “complaint” or any particular form of words. Tell us what has happened and what you would like us to do about it.
Complaints go to the principal of the practice, not to the person you have been dealing with. There is no separate department and nobody is going to be defensive on anyone's behalf.
What happens then
- Within two working days we acknowledge your complaint in writing and tell you who is dealing with it.
- We review the file and, where it helps, speak to you about it.
- Within one month of your complaint we send you a written response setting out what we found, what we accept, what we do not, and what we propose to do.
If a complaint is complicated enough that one month is not realistic, we will tell you before the month is up, explain why, and give you a date. We will not simply let it run on.
If we cannot resolve it between us
Alternative dispute resolution
If our internal procedure is exhausted and you remain dissatisfied, we will write and tell you so, and at that point we will give you the name and website address of a certified alternative dispute resolution provider competent to consider your complaint, together with whether we are prepared to take part. ADR is an out-of-court process, usually quicker and cheaper than going to court, and it is voluntary for both sides.
We are not a member of any ADR scheme and are not obliged to use one, so we say that here rather than let you assume otherwise.
The Spanish bar
The abogado handling your matter is subject to the disciplinary jurisdiction of their Colegio de Abogados, and you are entitled to complain to that Colegio about the conduct of a member whether or not you are in Spain. Their name and número de colegiado are in your engagement letter. We would rather you came to us first, and we would rather resolve it ourselves — but the route exists and you should know about it.
Why not the Legal Ombudsman
The Legal Ombudsman in England and Wales, and the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission, deal with complaints about lawyers authorised and regulated in those jurisdictions. We are not: our lawyers are Spanish abogados and ABOGADO LIMITED is not a firm of solicitors. Those schemes are therefore not open to you in respect of our work, and we would rather say so here than let you discover it at the worst moment.
Your other rights are unaffected
Nothing on this page limits your rights under UK consumer law, or your right to take a matter to court. If you paid by card, your card provider may have its own dispute process, and using ours does not stop you using theirs.