Introduction

A central aim of the Legal Ombudsman’s 2024-2027 strategy is to share learning and insights that help lead to better legal services for clients.   
  
In line with that strategic aim we now publish quarterly complaints data, in addition to our annual complaints data and insight report. This data release covers the third quarter (Q3) of the 2025/26 financial year: 1 October to 31 December 2025.

The release includes data on the volume of complaints the Legal Ombudsman accepted and resolved in that period, and insight into the themes evident in those complaints.  
  
All data is provisional and subject to confirmation in the final figures published in the Legal Ombudsman’s annual complaints data report for 2025/26, due to be published in summer 2026. 

Unprecedented rise in demand

LeO is experiencing a sustained and accelerating demand for its help, putting a significant strain on its service. The picture has changed even since LeO published its budget and business plan consultation in November 2025.

To the end of Q3 of 2025/26, the number of new complaints received by LeO increased by 29.8% year-on-year - exceeding LeO’s worst-case projections. LeO’s latest forecast is that it will receive over 14,000 complaints this year, which is an increase of 120% on the 6,439 complaints received in 2019/20.

This rise can be seen particularly starkly in our latest quarterly data. In Q3 2025/26, LeO received 3,496 new complaints - up 37% on the same quarter in 2024/25.

The complaint volumes for the third quarter of 2025/26 were higher than any previous quarter on record.

About our process

Our quarterly reports show the number of complaints we accept as an early resolution case or pass for in-depth investigation, as well as those we resolve each quarter, and seek to provide insights contained in this data. 

All the complaints that the Legal Ombudsman accepts are initially assessed by a senior ombudsman. Each case is then assigned either to our early resolution team or passed on for in-depth investigation.   
  
A case that is sent for full investigation requires evidence to be submitted by both the consumer and service provider, which is reviewed by one of our investigators. Following the evidence review, the investigator's findings are shared with both parties. If either party does not agree to these findings, the case may be passed to an ombudsman for a final decision.  

Consistent with our aim to resolve all complaints as early as possible, we only assess the reasonableness of providers’ complaint handling and service where relevant. For example, we do not assess this in complaints that are resolved through early resolution, that have come to us prematurely, or in complaints we find to be out of jurisdiction

Q3 at a glance

  • 1,822 new complaints were accepted either as an early resolution case, or for an in-depth investigation.
  • 48% of the complaints we accepted were assigned to early resolution.
  • 47% of the complaint types we accepted were about poor communication (25%) and delay and failure to progress (22%).
  • 647 of the complaints accepted (36%) were about Residential Conveyancing, the most complained-about area of law in Q3 2025/26.
  • 1,991 complaints were resolved.  
  • 52% of complaints were resolved by early resolution.
  • 85% of poor communication complaints were upheld following an in-depth investigation.
  • LeO found evidence of poor service in 69% of investigative outcomes in Q3 2025/26, and evidence of poor complaints handling in 43%. 
  • Wills and Probate had the highest evidence of poor service findings from complaints with investigative outcomes at 81%.
  • Over the quarter, LeO awarded £869,300 in remedies to put things right.

How many complaints did we accept?

  • In Q3 2025/26 we accepted 1,822 complaints. Of these, 871 (48%) were accepted as an early resolution case.

  • The area of law that saw the most complaints accepted in Q3 was Residential Conveyancing with 647 complaints (36%), followed by Personal Injury with 271 complaints (15%), and Wills and Probate with 254 complaints (14%).

  • While Residential Conveyancing remained the largest area of demand in Q3, we recognise that this area of law sees a high volume of transactions, which will in part account for the higher number of complaints generated.  

The table on the right shows the number of complaints received for each area of law.

How many complaints were resolved in Q3?

  • Of the 1,991 complaints resolved in Q3, 1,034 (52%) complaints were resolved by early resolution, a six percentage-point increase on the previous quarter (46%). Resolving complaints quicker and reaching agreement in this way benefits both consumers and the service providers, as well as reducing the resource impact on our service.
  • The remaining 957 (48%) complaints needed an in-depth investigation to resolve.

  • Of the 957 complaints resolved by in-depth investigation, 275 (29%) were resolved by investigators, with 434 complaints (45%) needing ombudsman decisions following investigation by an investigator.  248 (26%) complaints were resolved without requiring an investigation, for example, complaints that were found to be premature, out of jurisdiction, or withdrawn.

  • The largest number of complaints we resolved (either by early resolution or by an in-depth investigation) were about Residential Conveyancing (653 complaints), followed by Wills and Probate (336 complaints) and Personal Injury (291 complaints).

Did we find evidence of poor service?

  • Evidence of poor service was assessed in 524 complaints in Q3, and we found evidence of poor service in 361 (69%) of these complaints.

  • The area of law with the highest evidence of poor service was Wills and Probate (81%).

  • The second highest evidence of poor service was found in Residential Conveyancing (73%), followed by Personal Injury (70%).

The graph on the left shows the percentage of complaints where evidence of poor service has been found for each area of law.

What complaint types did we uphold after an in-depth investigation?

Not every complaint raised will necessarily be investigated. When a complaint undergoes an in-depth investigation, we will agree which complaints raised will proceed. There are various reasons why some individual points may not be investigated - for example, if an issue falls outside our jurisdiction or lacks reasonable prospects of success. Our goal is to concentrate our investigation on the main substance of the complaint.

Complaint types taken forward and those that are subsequently upheld are also captured, and the following data shows the uphold rates for each complaint type across the quarter.

  • Poor communication complaints were the most upheld complaint type in Q3, of the 231 complaints taken forward for this category, 85% were upheld, indicating a systemic issue across multiple areas of law.

  • Delay and failure to progress complaints (183 complaints investigated) - 69% of these were upheld.

  • Failure to follow instructions complaints (93 complaints investigated) - 62% of these were upheld.

  • Failure to advise complaints (154 complaints investigated) - 46%, the lowest upheld complaint rate.

  • Other complaint types accounted for 240 of the complaint types taken forward and were upheld at the rate of 75%. These are complaints not covered by our standard category complaint types. Complaints in this category are issues such as poor complaint handling, failure to release files or papers, failure or delay in releasing client money, or failure to prepare for a hearing/meeting. 

Was the complaint handling by the service provider (first-tier) reasonable?

  • 43% (224) of complaints with an investigative outcome showed evidence of poor complaint handing, suggesting that many issues could have been prevented earlier in the service providers’ own process.

  • Criminal Law recorded the highest proportion of poor complaints handling at 59%. Employment law and Litigation were the second largest areas of law with poor complaint handling (50%), followed by Personal Injury (48%), and Residential Conveyancing (46%).

  • Complaint handling in Litigation has steadily improved, with evidence of poor complaint handling dropping from 46% in Q1 2025/26, to 36% in Q2 2025/26, and now to 30% in Q3 2025/26. LeO has worked with a number of Litigation providers to improve first tier complaint handling. Many of the complaints that now reach LeO have reasonable offers at first tier and overall improved complaint handling, enabling earlier resolution.

  • Complaint handling in Family Law has also steadily improved, with poor complaint rates dropping from 40% in Q1 2025/26 to 37% in Q2 2025/26, and now to 32% in Q3 2025/26. Like Litigation, we are seeing evidence that complaints relating to Family Law are more frequently being handled in line with LeO’s guidance. LeO is seeing signs of continued improvements in complaint handling here, where service providers are working with LeO either directly or through our guidance and resources on effective complaints handling.

The graph on the right shows the percentage of complaints where poor complaint handling has been found for each area of law.

How did we put things right?

  • A total of £869,300 was directed in remedies to put things right in Q3. 

  • Among these complaints, compensation for emotional effects was awarded in 82% of the complaints where evidence of poor service was found.

  • A refund, reduction or a waiver of a service provider’s costs is the second most common remedy, awarded in 27% of the complaints where evidence of poor service was found, followed by compensation for financial loss (12%).

  • Compensation for emotional effects is frequently the most overlooked remedy at first tier. A significant number of complaints may have been resolved earlier had appropriate compensation for emotional effects been offered when service failings were acknowledged. 

Recommended actions for service providers

LeO is committed to sharing learning and insight to help lead to better legal services for clients. It regularly publishes resources and tools to help service providers raise standards of service delivery and improve their complaints handling. 

This quarterly data release highlights a number of key areas that service providers can focus on, and the following LeO resources can help them do so: 

Poor complaint handling clearly remains a consistent issue. LeO offers a range of guidance and tools to help service providers improve their procedures, including our recent Spotlight article on early resolution with its seven-point checklist for good complaints handling.

Complaints about poor communication continue to be the main reason cases are escalated to LeO, often leading to compensation for emotional effects. This quarter, 85% of these complaints were upheld, and 82% of our remedies addressed the emotional effects. Service providers could improve first-tier complaint handling by better recognising these issues at the first point of contact. LeO’s guidance on remedies is a valuable resource for service providers to use when addressing complaints and determining suitable remedies.

Stuck? Talk to us. Service providers seeking assistance with complaints, or wishing to learn about our approach to dealing with them, can use our technical advice desk, a free service where a Senior Ombudsman offers guidance and support.