Association of Chartered Certified Accountants ACCA is a global body for professional accountants and can regulate accountants to undertake probate activities

Bar Standards Board Regulatory body for barristers

CILEx Regulation Regulatory body for Legal Executives

Costs Lawyers Standards Board Regulatory body for costs lawyers

Council for Licensed Conveyancers Regulatory body for licensed conveyancers

Faculty Office Regulatory body for notaries (If the notary is a member of The Notaries Society then they will undertake any investigations)

Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales ICAEW is a global body for professional accountants and can regulate accountants to undertake probate activities

Intellectual Property Regulation Board Regulatory body for intellectual property lawyers

Solicitors Regulation Authority Regulatory body for solicitors

Association of Residential Letting Agents - Regulator for letting agents in the UK.

Financial Conduct Authority - Regulate the financial services industry in the UK.

General Dental Council - Professional and regulatory body for dental professionals in the UK.

General Medical Council - Professional and regulatory body for medical professionals in the UK.

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - Deals with the administration and regulation of MP’s expenses. Details of their internal complaints procedure is contained on their website.

Insolvency Practitioners Association - Professional and regulatory body for authorised insolvency practitioners.

Institute of Professional Willwriters - The Institute of Professional Willwriters (IPW) was founded in 1991 as a self-regulatory body to safeguard the public from unqualified practitioners and unethical business practices and has become established as the recognised professional body regulating and promoting the profession of Willwriting in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Law Society of Ireland - Professional body, regulator and complaint handler for solicitors in the Republic of Ireland

Law Society of Northern Ireland - Professional body, complaint handler and regulator for solicitors in Northern Ireland.

Law Society of Scotland - Professional body and regulator for solicitors in Scotland.

National Association of Estate Agents - Professional and regulatory body for estate agents in the UK.

Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner - Regulatory body for those providing immigration advice to members of the public.

PhonepayPlus - Regulatory body for premium rate services; can provide advice about premium rate services and investigate reports of unexpected premium rate charges.

Professional Negligence Lawyers Association - Has a list of lawyers specialising in professional negligence claims. Note – they will charge for their work.

Prudential Regulation Authority - Part of the Bank of England, responsible for the prudential regulation and supervision of banks, building societies, credit unions, insurers and major investment firms. It makes an important contribution to the bank’s core purpose of protecting and enhancing the stability of the UK financial system.

Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors - Professional and regulatory body for surveyors in the UK.

Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP) - Professional body for practitioners in the field of trusts and estates.

Society of Will Writers - Self regulating organisation for will writers. Only regulates members and all members are required to carry professional indemnity insurance.

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) - Promotes best practice in the workplace and helps to resolve disputes between individuals and groups of workers and their employers.

Citizens Advice Bureau - Provides free legal and general advice.

Civil Legal Advice (formerly Community Legal Advice) - Provides free legal advice for those entitled to legal aid.

Law Centres Federation - Law Centres are not for profit legal practices providing free legal advice and representation to disadvantaged people.

LawWorks (Solicitors Pro Bono) - A charity providing free legal help to individuals and community groups who cannot afford to pay for it and who are unable to access legal aid.

Please note that LawWorks no longer run a helpline for members of the public. Enquiries should be referred to their website www.lawworks.org.uk for information about how to access pro bono legal advice from the LawWorks Clinics Network.

National Debt line - Helpline providing free advice on how to deal with debt problems.

Consumer Ombudsman - Anyone who has a complaint about goods or services in any sector not already served by an ombudsman can use the Consumer Ombudsman.

Credit Services Association (CSA) - Professional body for some debt collection agents. You can make a complaint to this organisation if you want to complain about they way they have been chased for a debt but only if the debt agency is a member of this body.

Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) - Complaint handling organisation for complaints between consumers and businesses providing financial services.

Furniture Ombudsman - Deals with disputes between consumers and retailers in furniture, home improvement and floor coverings industries).

Housing Ombudsman Service - Deals with disputes between landlords and tenants. 

Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) - Investigates complaints about the police and police investigations in England and Wales. However before signposting to the IOPC consideration should be given to advising callers to visit their local police station who they have expressed dissatisfaction with and advising them to speak to either the duty sergeant or the duty inspector. They can make a complaint directly to either of those two people who will investigate and if necessary pass the matter to professional standards. Only once they have completed this should they go to the IOPC.

Judicial Conduct Investigations Office - The Office of Judicial Complaints was taken over by the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office on 1 October 2013. 

The Judicial Conduct Investigations Office cannot investigate complaints about magistrates, tribunal judges or court staff. Find out more about what they can and cannot investigate here -http://judicialconduct.judiciary.gov.uk/what-complain-about.htm

A complaint to the JCIO must be made in writing. There are a number of ways to do it;

Send the complaint by post to the Judicial Conduct and Investigations Office 81 – 82 Queens building, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand London, WC2A 2LL
Use the online complaint form on the website
http://judicialconduct.judiciary.gov.uk/making-a-complaint.htm
Email your complaint to mailto:inbox@jcio.gsi.gov.uk
Send the complaint by fax to 0207 073 4725.

Law Society of Ireland - Professional body, regulator and complaint handler for solicitors in the Republic of Ireland

Law Society of Northern Ireland - Professional body, complaint handler and regulator for solicitors in Northern Ireland.

Lay Observer for Northern Ireland - The Lay Observer receives and examines guidelines about the complaints process operated by the Law Society of Northern Ireland and about the way the Client Complaints Committee in the Law Society handles complaints about solicitors.

Local Government Ombudsman - Deals with complaints about local councils where the complainant has not been able to resolve the complaint with the local council involved.

Motor Ombudsman - The Motor Ombudsman is the UK’s government-backed, self-regulatory body for the motor industry. They help to find accredited garages and resolve motoring disputes. 

Ombudsman services: Communications - Investigates complaints about communications companies.

Ombudsman services: Copyright Licensing - Investigates complaints about bodies that either own or administer, on behalf of third parties, the licensing of copyright materials. These are called Collective Management Organisations

Ombudsman services: Energy - Investigates complaints about gas or electricity companies.

Ombudsman Services: Property - Regulatory body for chartered surveying firms, surveyors, estate agents, residential managing agents, letting agents and other property professionals. They are only able to deal with complaints about companies who participate in their scheme.

Ombudsman services: The Green Deal - Investigates complaints about a Green Deal provider. Also covers complaints where seller or landlord of a house fails to disclose key information about a Green Deal Plan such as an Energy Performance Certificate.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman -Organisation that considers complaints that government departments, a range of other public bodies in the UK, and the NHS in England, have not acted properly or fairly or have provided a poor service.

Pensions Ombudsman - Investigates complaints between members of pension schemes and the scheme administrators.

Prisons & Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales - Investigates complaints from prisoners, those on probation and those in immigration removal centres. Those who have received a service from HM Prison Service, the UK Border Agency or the National Probation Service.

Property Ombudsman - Formerly the Ombudsman for estate agents. The complaints handling organisation where members of the public want to make a complaint about their estate agent.

Removals Ombudsman - Deals with disputes between consumers and removals companies). 

Retail Ombudsman - Deals with disputes between consumers, retailers and tradesmen.

Scottish Legal Complaints Commission - Complaints handling body for lawyers in Scotland.

Society of Will Writers - Self regulating organisation for will writers. Only regulates members and all members are required to carry professional indemnity insurance.

Society of Will Writers - Self regulating organisation for will writers. Only regulates members and all members are required to carry professional indemnity insurance.

Waterways Ombudsman - Investigates complaints about the Canal & River Trust and any of its subsidiaries).

Age UK (formerly Age Concern and Help the Aged) - Charity aiming to improve later life for everyone through their information and advice, campaigns, products, training and research.

Child Maintenance Options - Child Maintenance Options, provides free impartial information and support to help parents make informed choices about child maintenance.

Child Support Agency - Ensuring that parents who live apart from their children contribute to their maintenance.

Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) - Safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) - Debt advice

Criminal Cases Review Commission - Review possible miscarriages of justice in the UK.

Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority - The body responsible for administering the criminal injuries compensation scheme in England, Scotland and Wales.

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) - Body responsible for prosecuting crimes in England and Wales.

Liberty (aka National Council for Civil Liberties) - Campaign organisation for protecting rights and freedoms through the courts, parliament and the wider community.

MIND - A mental health charity for England and Wales.

Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) - Provides a central fund where victims of road traffic accidents can claim compensation where the driver of the vehicle was uninsured or is untraceable.

National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) - Provides advocacy services for children and young people in England and Wales who are subject to child care proceedings.

Rights of Women - A voluntary women’s organisation committed to informing educating and empowering women concerning their legal rights. Does not provide legal advice but can signpost for free legal advice in different areas.

Samaritans - Confidential emotional support for people in the UK 

Telephone Preference Service - Free opt out service enabling you to record your preference on the official register and not receive unsolicited sales or marketing calls.

Equality and Human Rights Commission - Promotes and monitors equality and human rights across the nine protected grounds.

Her Majesty’s Courts Service  (HMCS) - Deals with the administration of justice in England and Wales, and provides the contact details of individual courts.

Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs - Deals with the payment of revenues and taxes due to the government.

HMRC – Stamp Taxes Helpline - Provides advice on:
•stamp taxes payable on the purchase of land
•property and shares
•the leasing of land and property

Information Commissioner (ICO) - The UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest.

Land Registry - Deals with all issues of registered land in England and Wales.

Legal Aid Agency - Body that deals with the administration of legal aid. See website for eligibility information.

Ministry of Justice - Provides an overview of the justice system in England and Wales. The website will provide links to a number of different organisations which come under the remit of the Ministry of Justice.

Office of the Public Guardian - Deals with registration of Powers of Attorneys and supervision of those appointed by the Court of Protection.

Probate Service - Part of the Family Division of the High Court. It deals with non-contentious probate and issues grants of probate or letters of administration.

Senior Courts Cost Office - Provides a detailed assessment of costs.

UK Border Agency - Organisation responsible for controlling migration into the UK.