Complaints Policy
If something goes wrong then you need to contact the person supervising your case. If they cannot resolve it, please contact either Mr G J Buggle or Ms D J Smith who will investigate. If we cannot resolve the problem, then we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and complaints redress mechanisms are provided through them and the Legal Ombudsman (LO) who can be contacted at www.legalombudsman.org.uk or PO Box 6806 Wolverhampton WV1 9WJ (tel0300555033). (Complaints to the LO must be made within these time limits: 6 years from the date of act/omission or 3 years from when you should have known about the complaint; and 6 months of our final response).
The SRA can help if you are concerned about our behaviours, e.g. dishonesty, taking or loosing your money or treating you unfairly because of age, disability or other characteristics. If you have such concerns, then you can visit their website or contact them on www.sra.ord.uk/consumers/problems/report-solicitor/ or by post at The Cube, 199 Wharfside Street, Birmingham, B1 1RN.
Privacy Policy
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (“DPA”), we have to comply with certain obligations in connection with the handling of your personal data. The purpose of this notice is to provide you with the necessary information regarding your rights and obligations and explains the circumstances in which your data is collected and processed. This notice may need to be updated from time to time.
Penmans Law
Under the terms of the GDPR we are the data controller and we process your personal information. Our contact details are as follows: -
Penmans Penmans
83a St Johns Way Stanhope House
Corringham High Street
Essex Stanford-le-Hope
SS17 7PL Essex SS17 0HA
Tel: 01375673968 Tel: 01375677777
Corringham@penmanslaw.co.uk Stanford@penmanslaw.co.uk
The purpose for collection of your personal data
These reasons include:
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To comply with legal obligations
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To comply with our obligations to you in supplying you with professional services
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To comply with professional obligations
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To satisfy our interests in dealing with any complaints or legal proceedings or professional proceedings against us
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Fulfilling our duties to client, employees and professional bodies with whom we are obliged to share data
The basis for processing your data
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Where you have consented
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To comply with any legal obligations we have
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In the performance of our obligations to you under our contract with you
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The pursuit of our lawful interests
The purposes for processing your personal data
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To check your identity
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To fulfil our obligations to you under our contract with you including sharing this data with third parties who are needed to assist us in performing the contract with you
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To inform you of any further services that we may offer
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To provide you with information regarding services that we supply following the termination of your contract
How long is your personal data retained?
The normal period is 6 years following the termination of our contract with you but this may be longer in certain circumstances eg if we are acting for a minor or a longer limitation period is required under the Limitation Acts, money laundering regulations and Lender’s requirements.
When may we share your data?
It is not done without your consent or if it is necessary to share such data in the performance of our obligations to you under the terms or our contract or in fulfilling our obligations to third parties eg courts, Inland Revenue, Solicitors Regulations Authority, Land Registry etc.
Accessing your data – Subject Access Requests (“SRAs”)
You have a right to make an SAR and if you consider that we have incomplete or inaccurate information about you, you have the right to ask us to have it rectified, removed or amended.
The SAR must be responded to by us within 1 month of receipt although if the matter is complex then we will notify you if it is likely to take longer.
There is no fee for complying with a Sar but we can refuse it if it is unfounded or excessive.
Complaints/Queries
If you have any such or consider that we have processed your data unfairly or that we have not complied with the GDPR or DPA, you can complain. This complaint can be made to us at the address shown above. If you are not happy with our response, you have a right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissions Office at Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF Tel: 0303 123 1113