UK Law Articles
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The Times
November 28 1998
Delays at solicitors' watchdog worsen
BY FRANCES GIBB LEGAL CORRESPONDENT
PEOPLE making complaints about delays, poor service or high fees from their solicitors are being forced to wait several months before their grievance is tackled because of the record numbers of complaints being issued against solicitors.
Figures released yesterday by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, the body which handles complaints against solicitors, showed that there are now 30,000 complaints made against solicitors each year.
While the office aims to ensure that 90 per cent of the simpler matters are concluded within three months, 77 per cent are still outstanding after three months. More than half of those are still unresolved after five months. The figures show that the targets introduced four months ago to tackle delays and inefficiencies at the office have not been met. The office has been put on notice by Ann Abraham, the Legal Services Ombudsman that it must improve or risk losing the right to self-regulation, but has continued to struggle with its caseload as complaints against solicitors rose by 30 per cent between 1997 and 1998.
Up to 33,000 more complaints are expected next year, and Ms Abraham gave warning in July that the office was at risk of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume. At Easter this year it was badly hit by floods and more than 1,000 files were damaged, putting the office out of action for 12 weeks.
Yesterday Peter Ross, the director of the office, admitted that the results were mixed. Targets on handling of serious conduct cases, and where the office has to intervene in the running of a law firm had been met, he said. However: "These figures must be put into context. If everything was perfect at the OSS there would be little need to carry out this exercise in the first place."
