Before you raise a formal complaint
If there is something about your matter you are not happy with, please raise it with us first — informally if you prefer. Many concerns can be resolved quickly through a direct conversation with your adviser.
You can do this at any time during your engagement with us. Raising a concern informally does not affect your right to make a formal complaint later if you remain unsatisfied.
How to make a formal complaint
If you would like to make a formal complaint, please contact us in writing. Email is preferred so we have a clear record of your complaint and our response.
- —Email: hello@harveyslegal.com with the subject line 'Formal complaint'
- —Include: your name, the matter reference (if applicable), and a clear description of your complaint
- —Tell us what outcome you are seeking from the complaint process
- —Attach any supporting correspondence or documents if relevant
What we do when we receive your complaint
We follow a structured complaints procedure aligned to Immigration Advice Authority standards. Below is the sequence and the published timelines.
- —Step 1 — Acknowledgement (within 5 working days): we confirm we have received your complaint and tell you who is handling it.
- —Step 2 — Investigation (within 20 working days of acknowledgement): we review the complaint, including the relevant work and correspondence, and write to you with our findings and proposed resolution.
- —Step 3 — Final response (within 8 weeks of receipt): if the matter is more complex, we will write to you with our final response within 8 weeks. If we cannot meet this, we will write to you explaining why and giving an updated timeline.
- —Step 4 — Escalation: if you are not satisfied with our final response, you can escalate to the Immigration Advice Authority (see below).
Escalation to the Immigration Advice Authority
If you remain dissatisfied after our final response, you have the right to escalate your complaint to the Immigration Advice Authority — our regulator.
The IAA will assess whether the complaint relates to our regulated work and whether there is evidence of a breach of standards. They can investigate independently of us.
- —Visit the Immigration Advice Authority's official website and follow their published complaints route
- —You should normally complete our internal complaints procedure before escalating to the IAA, unless there are exceptional reasons not to
- —The IAA may decide to investigate, refer the matter, or close the complaint with or without findings
- —There is no charge to make a complaint to the IAA
What complaints can cover
Our complaints procedure covers complaints about the service we have provided, the advice given, the conduct of our adviser, our communications with you, our handling of fees, and any other aspect of our engagement.
Where a complaint includes allegations about final immigration decisions, please note that decisions on visa applications and Home Office matters are not made by Harveys Legal. Complaints about Home Office decisions should be directed to the Home Office or, where relevant, pursued through the appropriate appeal or review route.
How we record and learn from complaints
We keep a written record of every formal complaint and our response. We review complaints periodically to identify whether there are themes or systemic issues we should address in our processes.
We do not penalise complainants. Raising a complaint with us does not affect the ongoing work on your matter (if any), and does not affect your future right to instruct us.