turkish-notery

turkish notary in the UK

Complaints Procedure

We hope you will be satisfied with the service provided by the Notary. However, if something goes wrong or you are unhappy with the service, it is important to raise the concern so that it can be addressed. The Notary takes complaints seriously and will try to resolve any issues promptly and fairly. This page outlines the procedure to follow if you wish to make a complaint about notarial services. It follows the guidelines of The Notaries Society and the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

1. Contact the Notary First

If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received, please contact the Notary directly in the first instance. 
You can write to: 

The Notary 
7 Henrietta Street 
Covent Garden 
London WC2E 8PS 

Email: selin@sgllegal.co.uk 
Telephone: +44 (0)7835 758417 

Please be as specific as possible about what happened, when, and what you believe was not handled correctly. 

The Notary will acknowledge your complaint and aim to investigate and respond within a reasonable timeframe, usually within 21 days. In most cases, issues can be resolved quickly through open communication. After looking into your complaint, the Notary will inform you of the outcome and any proposals to resolve your concerns. If a mistake was made, you can expect an apology and steps to correct or mitigate the issue. If you remain unsatisfied with the response, you have further options as outlined below. 

2. Complaints to The Notaries Society (Independent Procedure)

The Notary is a member of The Notaries Society, which offers an Approved Complaints Procedure for complaints about notaries. This procedure is independent, free to use, and designed to provide a quick resolution. 

If the matter cannot be resolved directly with the Notary, you may refer your complaint to: 

The Secretary of The Notaries Society 
PO Box 1023 
Ipswich, IP1 9XB 
Email: secretary@thenotariessociety.org.uk 
Telephone: 01604 758908 

Do not send original documents (copies are sufficient). Include a full explanation of your complaint and any supporting information. 

The Notaries Society will appoint an experienced independent notary to investigate and adjudicate the matter under its approved procedure. You will receive a copy of the rules and can ask questions about the process. 

Using this procedure does not prevent you from later making a complaint to the Legal Ombudsman if you remain unhappy with the outcome. 

3. Complaints to the Faculty Office

All notaries are regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Although the Notary is a member of The Notaries Society, you may contact the Faculty Office directly if you prefer. 

The Faculty Office 
1 The Sanctuary 
Westminster 
London SW1P 3JT 
Telephone: 020 7222 5381 
Email: faculty.office@1thesanctuary.com 
Website: www.facultyoffice.org.uk 

They can advise on whether they will investigate or direct you to the appropriate procedure. 

4. Complaints to the Legal Ombudsman

If your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction, either by the Notary directly or through The Notaries Society procedure, you may escalate it to the Legal Ombudsman, which handles complaints about legal and notarial services in England and Wales. 

Legal Ombudsman 
PO Box 6167 
Slough, SL1 0EH 
Telephone: 0300 555 0333 
Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk 
Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk 

Time limits:

You must refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman within:
  • Six months of receiving a final response from the Notary or The Notaries Society, and
  • One year from the date of the act or omission being complained about, or
  • One year from when you first reasonably should have known there was cause for complaint. 
The Ombudsman can advise if you are unsure about eligibility or time limits. 

What the Ombudsman can do:

If the Ombudsman finds that the service was unsatisfactory or fees were unfair, they may direct the Notary to provide an apology, remedy, refund, fee reduction, or compensation (up to £50,000). The Ombudsman’s decisions are final and binding if accepted by the complainant. 

Using the complaints procedure or contacting the Legal Ombudsman will not affect your legal rights. 

Summary of Steps

  1. Raise your complaint with the Notary. 
  2. If not resolved, refer it to The Notaries Society (independent review). 
  3. If still unresolved or after 8 weeks, you may contact the Legal Ombudsman. 
  4. The Ombudsman will make a final decision if required. 

You can also seek guidance at any stage from The Notaries Society or the Faculty Office. These mechanisms are designed to ensure that clients of notaries have full protection and access to redress. 

Regulatory Information

The Notary’s practice is regulated by: 
The Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury 
1 The Sanctuary, Westminster, London SW1P 3JT 
Tel: 020 7222 5381 | Email: faculty.office@1thesanctuary.com 

The Faculty Office oversees the conduct of all notaries and can receive complaints about professional behaviour or integrity. For service complaints, however, it is usually best to follow the steps above. 

If you have any questions about this Complaints Procedure, please ask for clarification. We sincerely hope you will not have cause to complain, but these procedures exist to ensure any problems are handled properly. 

(This Complaints Procedure is provided in compliance with Rule 14 of the Notaries Practice Rules 2019.)