Issue of service

I wonder how many members of the profession share my frustration in dealing with the Community Legal Service (CLS)?It makes no secret that any... I wonder how many members of the profession share my frustration in dealing with the Community Legal Service (CLS)?It makes no secret that any non-standard letter sent will take at least three weeks to be dealt with.

My experience is that some letters are not dealt with at all.

Faxes seem to fare no better and as for telephone calls, if one is lucky enough to get through one can spend half an hour or more waiting to speak.

On one memorable occasion, I spent two and a half hours holding the line.

What is more, none of this seems to worry the commission at all.

By the way, has anyone ever tried to telephone the CLS at 4.55pm? You are immediately put on to a recorded message informing you that the offices close at 5pm and that you are too late.

If we, as franchised firms, offered this level of service to our clients how long would the Legal Services Commission allow us to retain our franchises? AK Gulati, AK Gulati & Co, Cheam, Surrey