Mr K instructed the service provider in respect of a property matter.
Once the purchase had completed, Mr K contacted the service provider to complain about the service he received.
Mr K said he had experienced concern that the purchase would fall through and, although it had completed successfully, Mr K felt he should have been kept better informed during the transaction.
Mr K complained of stress and anxiety during the process, which he attributed to the poor level of service provided.
Mr K’s complaints revolved around two separate issues:
General delay including a delay in making him aware of the HMRC fee; and
A lack of communication about costs.
The service provider replied to Mr K’s complaint by offering a refund of two charges, totalling £250. They did not address any of his complaints.
Mr K remained unhappy with the offer and the fact that the service provider did not address his complaints or acknowledge any of the service failings. Mr K therefore escalated this to the Legal Ombudsman.
The Legal Ombudsman reviewed the complaint on receipt and passed it to the Early Resolution Team, as the firm had already issued an offer to resolve the complaint.
The Early Resolution Team identified that, although an offer of £250 had already been provided, this did not address all of the issues. The Early Resolution Team found that Mr K was asked to pay charges that should have been better communicated to him. They proceeded with a guided negotiation and recommended the service provider award a further £50, in order for the amount of compensation to be fair.
The service provider agreed to this assessment, and Mr K accepted their offer, meaning that the complaint was resolved by agreed outcome.
As the case was resolved by the Early Resolution Team, no case fee was payable.
A remedy without meaningful engagement with the issues is unlikely to satisfy the customer. Clear acknowledgement of what went wrong is as important as the remedy itself.
Timely communication and upfront cost clarity can prevent emotional impact. Strengthening these processes is a key opportunity for service providers to reduce complaints.
Constructive engagement with the Early Resolution Team is financially beneficial and leads to quicker, smoother outcomes.
