Written Question · S5W-27390 · Session 5
What complaints procedures can be used against the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission when an ombudsman finds in favour of the complainan…
The question
To ask the Scottish Government what complaints procedures can be used against the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission when an ombudsman finds in favour of the complainant.
The answer
The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission ( SLCC) is a non-departmental public body responsible for providing the single point of contact with unresolved complaints against lawyers operating in Scotland. It was established under the Legal Profession and Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 2007 and came into operation on 1 October 2008, replacing the Scottish Legal Services Ombudsman.
The complaints handling process is set out in the SLCC website and can be accessed at the following link https://www.scottishlegalcomplaints.org.uk/ .
Decisions made by the SLCC about service complaints are subject to appeal to the Court of Session on certain grounds. These include:Where a complainant believes that the SLCC decision was based on an error of lawWhere a complainant believes that SLCC did something wrong in the way they conducted the complaints procedureWhere a complainant believes that SLCC exercised their discretion irrationallyWhere a complainant believes that SLCC’s decision was not supported by the facts.
There is a time limit in which appeals are to be made. Appeals must be made within 28 days of a decision by the SLCC unless the Court considers otherwise.
Complaints about the quality of the service provided by SLCC as an organisation are handled separately. These are detailed on the SLCC website at the following link https://www.scottishlegalcomplaints.org.uk/contact-us/complain-about-our-service/ .
These may include:Where the complainer believes that the SLCC has treated the complainer unfairly or rudely.Where the complainer believes that the SLCC failed to explain things clearly or listened to their concerns properly.Where the complainer believes that the SLCC caused unreasonable delays.
The complaints handling process is set out in the SLCC website and can be accessed at the following link https://www.scottishlegalcomplaints.org.uk/ .
Decisions made by the SLCC about service complaints are subject to appeal to the Court of Session on certain grounds. These include:Where a complainant believes that the SLCC decision was based on an error of lawWhere a complainant believes that SLCC did something wrong in the way they conducted the complaints procedureWhere a complainant believes that SLCC exercised their discretion irrationallyWhere a complainant believes that SLCC’s decision was not supported by the facts.
There is a time limit in which appeals are to be made. Appeals must be made within 28 days of a decision by the SLCC unless the Court considers otherwise.
Complaints about the quality of the service provided by SLCC as an organisation are handled separately. These are detailed on the SLCC website at the following link https://www.scottishlegalcomplaints.org.uk/contact-us/complain-about-our-service/ .
These may include:Where the complainer believes that the SLCC has treated the complainer unfairly or rudely.Where the complainer believes that the SLCC failed to explain things clearly or listened to their concerns properly.Where the complainer believes that the SLCC caused unreasonable delays.
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S5W-27390 by reference.