Complaints
We are committed to providing high-quality legal advice and client care. If you are unhappy about any aspect of the service you receive or about the bill, then please initially raise any queries or concerns about our work for you with the lawyer responsible for the day-to-day handling of your work, or their supervisor, Ali Hussain. Either of these will do their best to resolve any problems quickly and to your satisfaction.
If they are unable to do so, however, or if you would prefer to speak to someone else about it, then please contact us on 0203 633 0931 or ali.hussain@ahslaw.co.uk or by post to AHS LAW, Ashley House, 235-239 high Road, London N22 8HF. We have a written procedure that sets out how we handle complaints which is available on request. We are required to deal with your complaint within eight weeks.
Clients may submit complaints in any reasonable written format, including with the assistance of technology. To support fair, efficient and proportionate handling, clients are encouraged to set out their concerns clearly, concisely and by reference to the specific issues they wish the firm to address.
Where a complaint is excessively long, repetitive or unfocused, including where generated using automated or AI tools, the firm may summarise the complaint into identifiable issues and respond to those issues rather than addressing every individual point. If a complaint is unclear or overly broad, the firm may request clarification or ask the client to prioritise the key concerns before completing its review. This approach does not affect the client’s right to raise or escalate a complaint in accordance with this policy.
In the event that you are not satisfied with the firm's response then you can have the complaint independently looked at by the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal Ombudsman investigates complaints about service issues with lawyers. There are, however, restrictions to this service for organisations, as set out on their website (see below). Normally, you will need to bring a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within six months of receiving a final written response from us about your complaint.
In addition, you should be aware that the Legal Ombudsman will not accept your complaint if:
- more than one year has elapsed from the date of the act or omission giving rise to the complaint; or
- more than one year has elapsed from the time when you should have known about the complaint.
The Legal Ombudsman's contact details are:
- Telephone: 0300 555 0333
- Minicom: 0300 555 1777
- E-mail: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
- Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
- Address: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 0EH
You may also be able to object to our bill by applying to the Court for an assessment under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974. If you exercise this right, you would be prevented from making a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman. In addition, if you apply to the Court for an assessment and if all or part of the bill remains unpaid at the end of that assessment, we are entitled to charge interest. There are strict time limits that apply to this process and you may wish to seek independent legal advice.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority can help if you are concerned about our behaviour. This could be for things like dishonesty, taking or losing your money or treating you unfairly because of your age, a disability or other characteristic. Visit their website at www.sra.org.uk to see how you can raise your concerns with them.
Data Protection Complaints
We are committed to complying with our obligations under data protection legislation, including the Data Protection Act 2018, UK GDPR and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (“DUAA”). If you have any concerns about how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to make a complaint to us.
Complaints should be submitted in writing and will be handled in accordance with our Data Protection Complaints Policy (as required under the DUAA), a copy of which is available on request. We will acknowledge, investigate and respond to your complaint within a reasonable timeframe.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.