Complaints policy

1. Purpose of this policy

SPU Law wants people who use, enquire about, or are affected by its services to be able to raise concerns clearly and without disadvantage. Complaints help SPU Law put problems right, learn from mistakes and improve its service.

This policy covers complaints about SPU Law's service, communication, delay, accessibility, conduct, data handling, or the way an enquiry or matter has been managed. It does not create a client relationship where one has not already been accepted in writing.

2. Regulatory position

SPU Law is not authorised or regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority as a law firm. It provides unreserved legal services only and does not conduct reserved legal activities.

Because SPU Law is not an SRA-regulated law firm, this complaints policy must not be read as saying that SRA or Legal Ombudsman routes automatically apply to every SPU Law matter. If a matter is referred to, supervised by, or handled with a regulated legal provider, that provider should give their own complaints information separately.

3. How to make a complaint

A complaint can be made in writing, by email, by telephone, or by asking for a reasonable adjustment to help you complain. Please include your name, contact details, enquiry or matter reference if you have one, what happened, when it happened, who was involved and what outcome you would like.

If you need help setting out the complaint, say what support would make the process accessible for you. SPU Law will consider reasonable adjustments such as plain English, extra time, alternative formats or a support person being involved.

4. What happens next

SPU Law aims to acknowledge a complaint within five working days. Where practical, a suitable person who was not directly responsible for the issue will review the complaint, the relevant records and any response from staff involved.

SPU Law aims to provide a written response within 20 working days. If the complaint is complex, involves safeguarding or data protection issues, or needs information from another organisation, SPU Law may need more time and should explain the revised timescale.

5. Possible outcomes

The response may include an explanation, apology, correction of records, further action on an enquiry or matter, a change to communication arrangements, staff learning, signposting, or a decision that no further action is required.

SPU Law will keep a record of complaints and outcomes so that recurring issues can be reviewed. Complaint records may contain personal data and will be handled under the privacy notice.

6. Data protection complaints

If your complaint is about personal data, privacy, subject access, correction, deletion, restriction, objection or data security, SPU Law will treat it as a data protection concern and may ask its privacy lead or a senior reviewer to review it.

You can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office if you are unhappy with how your personal data has been handled. SPU Law would usually ask you to raise the issue with SPU Law first so it has the chance to put things right.

7. No retaliation

SPU Law will not treat someone unfairly because they have made a complaint in good faith. If a complaint raises an urgent safeguarding, welfare, deadline or data security risk, SPU Law may prioritise immediate protective steps before the complaint investigation is complete.