Complaints Handling Procedure
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Our Commitment
Guden Solicitors is committed to providing high-quality legal advice and client service. We value feedback from our clients and take complaints seriously.
If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, including the way your matter has been handled or the fees you have been charged, please tell us as soon as possible. We will investigate your concerns fairly, promptly and free of charge.
Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your matter or the professional service you receive.
How to Make a Complaint
In the first instance, you may raise your concerns with the solicitor responsible for your matter. They may be able to resolve the issue quickly.
Alternatively, you may submit a formal complaint to our Complaints Partner:
Complaints Partner
Ali Guden | Guden Solicitors Ltd
2 Portman Street
London
W1H 6DU
United Kingdom
Email: info@gudenlaw.com
Telephone: +44 (0)20 3154 8930
You may make a complaint by email, telephone or post. We recommend making your complaint in writing so that we have a clear record of your concerns.
Please provide:
- your full name and contact details;
- the name of the solicitor or staff member dealing with your matter;
- your matter or file reference, where available;
- a clear explanation of your concerns;
- relevant dates, correspondence or documents; and
- details of the outcome you would like us to consider.
If you require assistance making a complaint or need this procedure in another format, please contact us.
What Happens After We Receive Your Complaint?
1. Acknowledgement
We will normally acknowledge your complaint within three working days of receiving it.
Our acknowledgement will confirm who is responsible for investigating your complaint and may request further information or documents where necessary.
2. Investigation
Your complaint will be investigated by our Complaints Partner or another appropriately senior person who, where reasonably possible, has not been directly involved in the matter giving rise to your complaint.
The investigation may include:
- reviewing your file and relevant correspondence;
- speaking with the solicitor or staff member concerned;
- requesting further information from you;
- discussing your concerns with you by telephone or video call; or
- inviting you to a meeting where this may help resolve the complaint.
We will handle your complaint impartially and keep you informed of material developments.
If your complaint concerns the Complaints Partner, it will be investigated by another director, senior solicitor or suitably independent person.
3. Our Response
We will aim to provide a substantive written response as soon as reasonably possible.
Our response will explain:
- the investigation we have carried out;
- our findings and conclusions;
- whether any part of your complaint has been upheld; and
- any action or remedy we propose.
Possible remedies may include an explanation, an apology, corrective action, a review of our procedures, the completion of outstanding work or, where appropriate, a reduction or refund of fees.
We will provide our final written response within eight weeks of receiving your complaint. If we are unable to do so, we will explain the reason and tell you when we expect to complete our investigation.
Legal Ombudsman
If we have not resolved your complaint to your satisfaction within eight weeks, or you remain dissatisfied with our final written response, you may be eligible to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.
The Legal Ombudsman is an independent organisation that investigates complaints about the service provided by legal professionals.
You should ordinarily refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
- within one year of the act or omission you are complaining about; or
- within one year of the date on which you should reasonably have become aware that there was cause for complaint; and
- within six months of receiving our final written response to your complaint.
The Legal Ombudsman may exercise discretion to accept a complaint outside these time limits where it considers it fair and reasonable to do so.
You can contact the Legal Ombudsman using the following details:
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Calling from overseas: +44 121 245 3050
Relay UK: 18001 0300 555 0333
Further information and an online complaint form are available through the Legal Ombudsman’s official website.
Not every client or organisation is eligible to use the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal Ombudsman will confirm whether it can investigate your complaint.
Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Legal Ombudsman deals primarily with complaints about the standard of service provided by a solicitor or law firm.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority, or SRA, regulates solicitors and law firms in England and Wales. You may report a solicitor or firm to the SRA if you are concerned about professional conduct, including matters such as:
- dishonesty or fraud;
- misuse or loss of client money;
- discrimination;
- acting without proper authorisation;
- serious breaches of professional obligations; or
- conduct that may pose a risk to clients or the public.
The SRA does not normally investigate ordinary service complaints, delays, disagreements about fees or isolated mistakes. These concerns should normally be raised with us first and may subsequently be referred to the Legal Ombudsman.
Further information about reporting a solicitor or law firm is available through the SRA’s official website.
Guden Solicitors Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA number 8005081.
Complaints About Fees
If your complaint relates to our invoice or legal fees, you should raise it with us using the procedure above.
You may also have a right to apply to the court for an assessment of your bill under the Solicitors Act 1974. Strict time limits may apply, and you may wish to obtain independent legal advice before making an application.
The Legal Ombudsman may not investigate a complaint about a bill where the bill has already been assessed by a court.
We may be entitled to charge interest on an unpaid invoice in accordance with our Terms of Business, but we will consider the circumstances of any genuine fee dispute.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
We will handle your complaint confidentially and process personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection legislation.
Information may be disclosed where necessary to investigate your complaint, comply with our regulatory and legal obligations, notify our professional indemnity insurers or respond to the Legal Ombudsman, the SRA or another competent authority.
No Charge for Complaints
We will not charge you for investigating or responding to a complaint made under this procedure.
The Legal Ombudsman currently gives firms eight weeks to resolve a complaint. Its ordinary time limits are one year from the issue or reasonable awareness of it, and six months from the firm’s final response. Its current contact details include PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 0EH, 0300 555 0333 and enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk.
Our Commitment
Guden Solicitors is committed to providing high-quality legal advice and client service. We value feedback from our clients and take complaints seriously.
If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, including the way your matter has been handled or the fees you have been charged, please tell us as soon as possible. We will investigate your concerns fairly, promptly and free of charge.
Making a complaint will not affect how we handle your matter or the professional service you receive.
How to Make a Complaint
In the first instance, you may raise your concerns with the solicitor responsible for your matter. They may be able to resolve the issue quickly.
Alternatively, you may submit a formal complaint to our Complaints Partner:
Complaints Partner
Ali Guden | Guden Solicitors Ltd
2 Portman Street
London
W1H 6DU
United Kingdom
Email: info@gudenlaw.com
Telephone: +44 (0)20 3154 8930
You may make a complaint by email, telephone or post. We recommend making your complaint in writing so that we have a clear record of your concerns.
Please provide:
- your full name and contact details;
- the name of the solicitor or staff member dealing with your matter;
- your matter or file reference, where available;
- a clear explanation of your concerns;
- relevant dates, correspondence or documents; and
- details of the outcome you would like us to consider.
If you require assistance making a complaint or need this procedure in another format, please contact us.
What Happens After We Receive Your Complaint?
1. Acknowledgement
We will normally acknowledge your complaint within three working days of receiving it.
Our acknowledgement will confirm who is responsible for investigating your complaint and may request further information or documents where necessary.
2. Investigation
Your complaint will be investigated by our Complaints Partner or another appropriately senior person who, where reasonably possible, has not been directly involved in the matter giving rise to your complaint.
The investigation may include:
- reviewing your file and relevant correspondence;
- speaking with the solicitor or staff member concerned;
- requesting further information from you;
- discussing your concerns with you by telephone or video call; or
- inviting you to a meeting where this may help resolve the complaint.
We will handle your complaint impartially and keep you informed of material developments.
If your complaint concerns the Complaints Partner, it will be investigated by another director, senior solicitor or suitably independent person.
3. Our Response
We will aim to provide a substantive written response as soon as reasonably possible.
Our response will explain:
- the investigation we have carried out;
- our findings and conclusions;
- whether any part of your complaint has been upheld; and
- any action or remedy we propose.
Possible remedies may include an explanation, an apology, corrective action, a review of our procedures, the completion of outstanding work or, where appropriate, a reduction or refund of fees.
We will provide our final written response within eight weeks of receiving your complaint. If we are unable to do so, we will explain the reason and tell you when we expect to complete our investigation.
Legal Ombudsman
If we have not resolved your complaint to your satisfaction within eight weeks, or you remain dissatisfied with our final written response, you may be eligible to refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman.
The Legal Ombudsman is an independent organisation that investigates complaints about the service provided by legal professionals.
You should ordinarily refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:
- within one year of the act or omission you are complaining about; or
- within one year of the date on which you should reasonably have become aware that there was cause for complaint; and
- within six months of receiving our final written response to your complaint.
The Legal Ombudsman may exercise discretion to accept a complaint outside these time limits where it considers it fair and reasonable to do so.
You can contact the Legal Ombudsman using the following details:
Legal Ombudsman
PO Box 6167
Slough
SL1 0EH
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 555 0333
Calling from overseas: +44 121 245 3050
Relay UK: 18001 0300 555 0333
Further information and an online complaint form are available through the Legal Ombudsman’s official website.
Not every client or organisation is eligible to use the Legal Ombudsman. The Legal Ombudsman will confirm whether it can investigate your complaint.
Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Legal Ombudsman deals primarily with complaints about the standard of service provided by a solicitor or law firm.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority, or SRA, regulates solicitors and law firms in England and Wales. You may report a solicitor or firm to the SRA if you are concerned about professional conduct, including matters such as:
- dishonesty or fraud;
- misuse or loss of client money;
- discrimination;
- acting without proper authorisation;
- serious breaches of professional obligations; or
- conduct that may pose a risk to clients or the public.
The SRA does not normally investigate ordinary service complaints, delays, disagreements about fees or isolated mistakes. These concerns should normally be raised with us first and may subsequently be referred to the Legal Ombudsman.
Further information about reporting a solicitor or law firm is available through the SRA’s official website.
Guden Solicitors Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under SRA number 8005081.
Complaints About Fees
If your complaint relates to our invoice or legal fees, you should raise it with us using the procedure above.
You may also have a right to apply to the court for an assessment of your bill under the Solicitors Act 1974. Strict time limits may apply, and you may wish to obtain independent legal advice before making an application.
The Legal Ombudsman may not investigate a complaint about a bill where the bill has already been assessed by a court.
We may be entitled to charge interest on an unpaid invoice in accordance with our Terms of Business, but we will consider the circumstances of any genuine fee dispute.
Confidentiality and Data Protection
We will handle your complaint confidentially and process personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection legislation.
Information may be disclosed where necessary to investigate your complaint, comply with our regulatory and legal obligations, notify our professional indemnity insurers or respond to the Legal Ombudsman, the SRA or another competent authority.
No Charge for Complaints
We will not charge you for investigating or responding to a complaint made under this procedure.
The Legal Ombudsman currently gives firms eight weeks to resolve a complaint. Its ordinary time limits are one year from the issue or reasonable awareness of it, and six months from the firm’s final response. Its current contact details include PO Box 6167, Slough SL1 0EH, 0300 555 0333 and enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk.
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