The UK's Legal Services Complaints Commissioner, Zahida Manzoor announced on
Monday that a new agreement has been reached with the Law Society regarding
its complaints handling targets.
In May, Ms Manzoor revealed that she would be levying a penalty of a quarter
of a million pounds on the Law Society. This was because the Law Society had
submitted a plan that she felt was inadequate for securing improvements to its
complaints handling services for 1 April 2006 to
31 March 2007.
Yesterday, the Commissioner reported that a new plan for 1 April 2006 to 31
March 2007 had been agreed with the Law Society. She explained:
"Following productive discussions between myself and the Law Society,
I am pleased to announce that we have today agreed a new plan aimed at bringing
about improvements to the Law Society's complaints handling service. If implemented,
this will mean a better complaints handling service for consumers and the legal
profession alike."
"The Law Society has moved on a number of the targets it felt unable to
include in its original plan, and achievement of these revised targets should
ensure that complaints are handled more quickly and to a higher quality. I recognise
the work of the Consumer Complaints Board in making this happen."
In particular, the Commissioner noted that the Law Society had agreed to work
to a target that consumers will receive a substantive response to their complaint
within 55 days with immediate effect. This was a great improvement on the Law
Society's earlier position, which would have seen it aim for 58 days by the
end of March 2007. She stated:
"In recognition of the Law Society's positive approach to discussions
with me and its submission of this revised plan, I have decided to reduce the
penalty I levied earlier this year by GBP30,000."
Also on Monday, the Commissioner announced her decision regarding the Law Society's
performance against its Plan for 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006. Ms Manzoor observed
that the Law Society has failed to handle complaints in accordance with its
Plan, but said that she will not be levying a penalty for this failure.
She explained:
"Of the three targets the Law Society did meet, it exceeded them, and
on six of the seven targets, the Law Society has improved compared to last year.
For example, over 1,000 more consumers had their complaint closed within six
months compared to last year. Its complaints handling operation is, in parts,
a more efficient and better performing operation since my office was created
and progress was certainly made this last year."
Professor Shamit Saggar, Chair of the Consumer Complaints Board responded:
"It is gratifying that the Legal Services Complaints Commissioner has
recognised the achievements of the last year against what was for the Law Society
an ambitious plan. Her office has further encouraged the Consumer Complaints
Service to build upon the service improvements it has achieved during recent
years.
Fiona Woolf, Law Society President, added that:
"I am pleased that Zahida Manzoor and the Consumer Complaints Service
have agreed a plan for the next twelve months. A constructive relationship can
only contribute to the delivery of exemplary levels of service for consumers
making the most of the Law Society's significant investment in complaints handling."
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