Client Care Policy

Policy Statement

Sarah Bentley Solicitors aims to provide outstanding legal services with an honest, straight forward and practical approach together with the highest standard of professional conduct and client care.

  1. Treat you fairly and with courtesy and consideration.
  2. Take all reasonable steps to avoid incurring unnecessary expense.
  3. Offer flexible appointment times.
  4. Use plain English wherever possible.
  5. Ensure effective communication.
  6. Be open and honest.
  7. Always act professionally.
  8. Keep your business confidential.
  9. Read your instructions promptly.
  10. Ensure that we have the resources and expertise to deal with your matter.
  11. Observe our service standards.
  12. Represent your best interests.
Client Care Letter

After you have instructed us to take on your case, we will issue you with a client care letter and our terms and conditions which explain in detail our expected level of service. We will inform you of the person who is going to be responsible for your case and their position in the practice.

Reasonable Adjustments for Clients

At Sarah Bentley Solicitors we pride ourselves in being able to offer our clients out of hours assistance and appointments during the same week of contact. We endeavour to make available appointment slots throughout each week so new clients can be seen within a day or two of the first contact. We will visit you in home if it is not practicable for you to come to our office.

In all cases, we will:

  • Explain to the client any limitations or conditions on what we can do for them (for instance due to the way that a matter is funded).
  • Have proper regard to their mental capacity or other vulnerability (e.g. incapacity, duress or disability when taking instructions and during the course of the matter.
  • Consider whether a conflict of interest is present or has arisen.
  • We will tailor our support according to the needs of each client to ensure that the information we provide is appropriate.
Vulnerable Clients

For every client we will consider:

  • Whether they are used to dealing with legal practitioners
  • To what extent our standard client care letter is appropriate or whether further steps need to be taken to make sure they understand it
  • Whether they are in a position to make informed decisions
  • Whether they are vulnerable - We will take into account whether a client should be considered as vulnerable.
  • Examples of this include:
    • Client does not speak or understand English.
    • Client has a physical disability.
    • We suspect the client is acting under duress or undue influence.

In all cases we will consider how we can respond to the potential vulnerability to protect the client's interests.

Equality and Diversity
  • We encourage equality of opportunity and respect for diversity in our relationships with clients and others.
  • We will not discriminate unlawfully or victimise or harass anyone, including clients, and we will provide services to clients in a way that respects diversity.
  • Staff members must not discriminate unlawfully when accepting or refusing instruction.

This means that we will not discriminate on the grounds of:

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage and civil directorship
  • Pregnancy and maternity
  • Race
  • Religion or belief
  • Sexual orientation
  • We will make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled clients are not placed at a substantial disadvantage and will not pass on the costs of adjustments to these clients.
Referrals to Third Parties

On occasion our clients may need the services of a third party, for example another legal professional or financial advisor. In such circumstances we may recommend a third party that is able to provide the service required. When we make a recommendation to our client we will: -

  • Provide the client with information about the third-party supplier and the service they offer, including an estimate as to cost where possible.
  • Inform the client that they are under no obligation to use the third party we recommend and are free to use a third party of their choice.
  • Confirm that we do not receive any fee or incentive for providing the recommendation.

We will not pass any client information to the third party unless the client asks us to do so. Any information provided to the third party will be limited only to that which they need to provide the required service.

Complaints Procedure

We have a detailed documented complaints procedure. A copy of this complaint's procedure is available by email from sshaun@sarahbentleysolicitors.co.uk

Feedback

We are receptive to feedback and at the end of the matter we will send you our client survey form for completion. We welcome feedback from clients at any time, negative or positive.

Review

The Directors, namely Colin Warner and Trish Hassell have overall responsibility for this policy.