How to Complain About Your Solicitor

Your solicitor was supposed to progress your property sale smoothly. Instead, emails go unanswered, deadlines pass without explanation, and you are left wondering whether anyone is actually working on your file. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Complaints about conveyancing solicitors are among the most common received by the Legal Ombudsman each year, with delays and poor communication consistently topping the list.

The good news is that there is a clear, structured complaints process in England and Wales. Whether you want an apology, a fee refund, or financial compensation, this guide walks you through every step -- from raising a complaint internally to escalating to the Legal Ombudsman or the Solicitors Regulation Authority. If you are unsure what your solicitor should be doing in the first place, start with our guide on what your solicitor actually does.

What grounds do you have to complain?

Before making a complaint, it helps to understand whether your experience amounts to a legitimate service failure or simply the normal pace of conveyancing. Property transactions involve multiple parties and some delays are genuinely outside your solicitor's control.

You generally have grounds to complain if your solicitor has:

• Failed to respond to communications -- the Law Society considers 48 hours a reasonable maximum response time for routine queries. Consistent failure to reply within two working days is a service concern.
• Caused unreasonable delays -- sitting on your file for weeks without progressing it, failing to chase the other side, or missing self-imposed deadlines. For context on what constitutes a reasonable timeline, see our guide on what to do about a slow solicitor.
• Lost or mislaid documents -- including title deeds, search results, or correspondence.
• Failed to keep you informed -- you should not have to chase for basic updates on your own sale.
• Given incorrect or misleading advice -- for example, advice about your obligations under the seller's property information forms that turns out to be wrong.
• Overcharged or failed to explain costs -- if the final bill is significantly higher than the estimate you were given, or if solicitor fees were not clearly explained at the outset.
• Missed critical deadlines -- for example, failing to meet an exchange deadline that had been agreed by all parties.

You do not need to prove that your solicitor acted negligently or intentionally. The Legal Ombudsman assesses whether the service fell below a reasonable standard -- a lower threshold than negligence.

Step 1: Document everything before you complain

A well-documented complaint is far more likely to succeed than a general expression of dissatisfaction. Before raising a formal complaint, gather the following evidence:

• A timeline of key events -- dates you sent emails, dates you received replies (or did not), dates of phone calls, and what was discussed.
• Copies of all correspondence -- emails, letters, and text messages between you and the firm.
• Notes from phone calls -- if you spoke to your solicitor or their office by phone, note the date, time, who you spoke to, and what was said. Phone calls are harder to evidence than written communication, which is why email is generally preferable for important exchanges.
• Your terms of engagement -- the letter or document you received when you first instructed the firm, which should set out their fees, service commitments, and complaints procedure.
• Evidence of financial loss -- if the poor service caused you quantifiable financial harm (for example, additional mortgage payments, a lost buyer, or duplicate fees from switching solicitors), gather receipts, statements, or estimates.

Step 2: Raise a formal complaint with the firm

Every solicitor firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is required to have an internal complaints procedure. The firm must tell you about this procedure when you first instruct them. If they did not, that is itself a breach of SRA standards.

How to make your complaint

1. Put your complaint in writing -- address it to the firm's designated complaints handler, who is usually the managing partner or a named complaints partner. Do not send it to your case handler, as they are the person you are complaining about.
2. Be specific -- avoid generalities like "the service has been poor." Instead, write something like: "I emailed on 3 January, 10 January, and 17 January regarding the outstanding buyer enquiries. I received no substantive reply to any of these messages until I telephoned on 22 January."
3. State the outcome you want -- be clear about what would resolve the complaint for you. This might be a partial refund of fees, a commitment to specific response times, assignment of a different case handler, or compensation for financial loss.
4. Set expectations on timing -- note in your letter that you expect an acknowledgement within 5 working days and a substantive response within 8 weeks, in line with SRA guidance.
5. Send it by email with read receipt or recorded delivery -- so you have proof the complaint was received and the date it was sent.

What should happen next

Under the SRA Standards and Regulations, firms must deal with complaints "promptly, fairly, and free of charge." A formal complaint often has an immediate positive effect because firms take their regulatory obligations seriously. The firm's complaints handler should:

• Acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days
• Investigate the issues you have raised
• Provide a substantive written response within 8 weeks
• Inform you of your right to escalate to the Legal Ombudsman if you are not satisfied with their response

If the firm resolves the complaint to your satisfaction at this stage, the matter ends here. If not, you move to the next step.

Step 3: Escalate to the Legal Ombudsman

If the firm fails to resolve your complaint within eight weeks, or if their response is unsatisfactory, you can escalate to the Legal Ombudsman (LeO). The Legal Ombudsman is the independent body established under the Legal Services Act 2007 to resolve complaints about legal service providers in England and Wales.

Time limits for complaining to the Legal Ombudsman

There are strict time limits. You must refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman:

• Within one year of the act or omission you are complaining about; or
• Within one year of when you first became aware of the issue (if later than the act itself)

You must also have either received a final response from the firm or waited at least eight weeks since making your complaint to them.

How to submit a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman

You can submit a complaint online at legalombudsman.org.uk, by email to enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk, by phone on 0300 555 0333, or by post to Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH. You will need to provide:

• Your contact details
• The name and address of the solicitor firm
• A clear description of your complaint and the dates involved
• Copies of your correspondence with the firm, including your formal complaint and their response
• What outcome you are seeking

What the Legal Ombudsman can award

The Legal Ombudsman has the power to direct a solicitor to:

The Ombudsman aims to resolve most complaints within 90 days of accepting them. Combined with the initial eight-week internal complaints period, the full process typically takes 3 to 6 months from start to resolution.

Step 4: Report to the SRA (for misconduct)

The complaints routes above cover poor service. If your solicitor has done something more serious -- involving professional misconduct -- you should report it to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) directly.

What counts as misconduct

The SRA investigates breaches of the SRA Principles and the SRA Code of Conduct. Examples relevant to conveyancing include:

• Dishonesty -- for example, misleading you about the status of your transaction or the work they have done
• Misusing client money -- failing to hold deposit funds correctly or using client account money improperly
• Conflict of interest -- acting for both you and another party without proper disclosure and consent
• Discrimination -- treating you unfairly on the basis of a protected characteristic
• Practising without a valid practising certificate -- you can check a solicitor's registration status on the SRA's online register

The SRA does not award compensation for poor service. Its role is to protect the public by investigating misconduct and, where necessary, imposing sanctions including fines, conditions on a solicitor's practising certificate, or striking them off the register entirely. You can report concerns to the SRA at sra.org.uk.

What about CLC-regulated conveyancers?

If your conveyancer is regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) rather than the SRA, the complaints process follows the same broad structure:

1. Complain to the firm directly through their internal complaints procedure
2. Allow eight weeks for resolution
3. Escalate to the Legal Ombudsman if the firm does not resolve your complaint satisfactorily

For misconduct by a licensed conveyancer, you report to the CLC directly rather than the SRA. The CLC has its own disciplinary process and can impose sanctions including fines, conditions on a practitioner's licence, or removal from the register. You can check whether your conveyancer is CLC-regulated at clc.gov.uk.

Professional negligence claims

The Legal Ombudsman's compensation limit is £50,000. If your solicitor's actions have caused you a financial loss exceeding that amount, or if you want to pursue a claim based on negligence rather than poor service, you may need to bring a professional negligence claim through the courts.

When a negligence claim might apply

• Your solicitor failed to identify a legal defect in the title that later caused you financial loss
• They gave incorrect advice that led you to proceed with a transaction you would otherwise have avoided
• Their delays caused a sale to fall through, resulting in quantifiable financial loss (for example, the difference between the agreed price and the eventual sale price)
• They failed to carry out proper searches or check planning permissions, and an issue subsequently emerged

Key points about negligence claims

• There is a six-year limitation period from the date of the negligent act (or three years from when you first became aware of the damage, subject to a long-stop period of fifteen years)
• You will need independent legal advice from a solicitor specialising in professional negligence -- do not use the firm you are complaining about
• All solicitors are required to hold professional indemnity insurance, so there should be funds available to meet a successful claim
• Many professional negligence solicitors work on a no win, no fee basis for clear-cut cases

Practical tips for an effective complaint

Having a legitimate grievance is one thing; getting a satisfactory outcome is another. These practical tips improve your chances:

1. Keep emotion out of it -- a factual, dated account of what happened is far more effective than an emotional letter. Focus on specific failures and their impact.
2. Be clear about what you want -- a complaint without a stated remedy is harder for the firm to resolve. Do you want a fee refund? Compensation? An apology? A different case handler? State it clearly.
3. Communicate in writing -- emails and letters create an evidence trail. Phone calls are useful for urgent matters but follow them up with a confirmation email summarising what was discussed.
4. Keep copies of everything -- save every email, note every phone call, and keep a simple log of dates and events. This documentation is essential if you escalate to the Legal Ombudsman.
5. Do not delay -- the Legal Ombudsman's time limits are strict. If you are unhappy, raise the complaint promptly rather than waiting for the transaction to complete.
6. Consider whether to switch solicitors -- if the complaint relates to an ongoing transaction and the relationship has broken down, it may be more practical to switch solicitors and pursue the complaint separately for compensation. Continuing with a solicitor you no longer trust can cause further problems.

What if the complaint is about fees?

Disputes about solicitor fees are common in conveyancing. If you believe you have been overcharged, or if the final bill is significantly higher than the quote or estimate you were given, you have several options:

• Challenge the bill with the firm -- ask for a detailed breakdown of all work done and disbursements charged. Compare this against the estimate in your terms of engagement. For a breakdown of typical conveyancing costs, see our guide on solicitor fees for selling a house.
• Apply for a detailed assessment -- under the Solicitors Act 1974, you can apply to the court for a detailed assessment (formerly known as taxation) of your solicitor's bill. This must be done within one month of receiving the bill to get an assessment as of right, though the court has discretion to allow applications up to 12 months.
• Complain to the Legal Ombudsman -- fee disputes fall within the Legal Ombudsman's remit. The Ombudsman can order a fee reduction or refund if it finds the fees were unreasonable.

How to instruct a new solicitor after a complaint

If your complaint leads you to change solicitors mid-transaction, the process involves instructing a new firm, requesting your file from the old firm, and allowing the new solicitor time to review the existing work. For a detailed walkthrough of this process, see our guide on how to instruct a solicitor for selling.

Under SRA rules, your old solicitor must hand over your file to the new firm promptly. They cannot withhold your file to pressure you into staying. However, they may exercise a solicitor's lien -- a right to hold onto the file until outstanding fees are paid. If this becomes an issue, the new solicitor can sometimes negotiate with the old firm to release the file while the fee dispute is resolved.

A summary of the complaints landscape

Sources and further reading

• Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) -- SRA Standards and Regulations, complaints guidance, and the online register of solicitors (sra.org.uk)
• Legal Ombudsman -- Independent complaints body for legal services in England and Wales, including how to complain, time limits, and compensation limits (legalombudsman.org.uk)
• The Law Society -- Guidance on the complaints process, the Conveyancing Quality Scheme, and the Find a Solicitor tool (lawsociety.org.uk)
• Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) -- Register of licensed conveyancers, regulatory standards, and complaints guidance (clc.gov.uk)
• Legal Services Act 2007 -- The legislation that established the Legal Ombudsman and the regulatory framework for legal services in England and Wales (legislation.gov.uk)
• Solicitors Act 1974 -- Provisions on detailed assessment of solicitor bills and the court's supervisory jurisdiction over solicitor charges (legislation.gov.uk)

Related guides

• How to Check If Your Solicitor Is Regulated

Frequently asked questions