Cost: £0
Duration: 25 days
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Before making a complaint you should read our Guidance Notes. You can then make and submit your complaint online. If you have any questions, just get in touch.
What is the Independent Complaints Review Service for the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)?
The Independent Complaints Review Service (ICRS), operated by CEDR Services, forms part of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA’s) approach to handling complaints about the SRA’s work.
- We provide independent oversight of the way that the SRA carries out its complaints handling functions – we do this by conducting an independent audit
of SRA’s complaints handling. - We provide a final independent response for those complaints that SRA cannot resolve internally.
For those cases that the independent complaints reviewer decides are appropriate for a full review, he or she will conduct a review of the papers to consider whether:
- the investigation was thorough and fair
- all the relevant facts were taken into account
- the conclusions reached (in respect of complaints about the service provided by the SRA) were reasonable and properly explained; and
- the investigation was handled efficiently, without unnecessary delay.
Where a complaint has been upheld or partially upheld by the independent complaints reviewer, he or she will provide a full explanation for any poor service and may require the SRA to provide one or more of the following remedies:
- an apology
- appropriate action to rectify the situation for the complainant, such as an extension of time to respond to a deadline
- appropriate action to improve the SRA's practices or procedures
- an ex gratia payment made in line with SRA's special payments guidance
Downloads
The steps you must take before submitting a complaint
Step 1.
Customer raises a complaint with SRA in the first instance (for more information on their complaint process, please click here . Please note that this is a two stage process and we cannot accept a case if you haven’t been through both stages. Following SRA’s final stage 2 response, you have 20 working days to come to CEDR.
Step 2.
If a complaint is referred to CEDR for independent complaints review, we will first confirm with the SRA that you have gone through their 2 internal stages. This is usually done within 5 working days. we need further information from you we will send you an Application Form for you to complete and return to CEDR. This form is also accessible via our website.
Step 3.
Once we receive all the information from yourself and the SRA, we will aim to have a final written response provided within a further 25 working days. Please note, that in some instances, due to the nature and complexity of some of these matters, a final response may not be available until after 30 working days has passed. Once a final written response is published, the matter is closed with no appeals.