Make them pay

I note from your front page article that practising certificate fees will rise to help offset the costs of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors which seems to be inundated with work (see [2000] Gazette, 20 July, 1).Has any thought been given to levying on all complainants an administration charge which, if their complaint were unsuccessful, would be forfeit for wasting the time of the OSS, and which would be refunded in the event of success?Lawyers seem to be fair game for everybody these days, and so many unfounded complaints are made by clients and non-clients for personal reasons.

Their investigation always takes time and money and eats into the resources and budget of the OSS.

This levy might go some way to cutting down on the timewasters and the fanatics, some of whom I dare say are aggrieved by the fact that they have lost in court as a result of the quality of their opponents' legal service.

Alan R Walton, Alan R Walton & Company, Somerton, Somerset