Company Policy

TRF Wills Company Policy from September 2022

Introduction

There is little distinction between client care and customer service. Customer service is defined by The Collins English Dictionary as “The work of looking after customers and ensuring their satisfaction with one’s business and its goods or services”.

Ultimately the aim of TRF Wills (TRF) is:

To protect the public whilst providing a high level of quality, client lead guidance linked with resulting products and services which offer a combination of convenience, discretion, value for money and comprehensively accurate advice; and

To serve in the interests of other similar professionals who are active in the same field.

TRF does this by setting itself two tasks:

To promote to the public at large the real need and sense in having a valid Will, Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA), Probate Guidance, Trusts and their resulting Property Ownership status, Inheritance Tax Mitigation and/or NHS Funding for Care Guidance; and

To ensure ALL their consultants and representatives meet the proficiency standards and on-going training necessary to maintain the highest levels of quality, value for money, confidentiality, professionalism, and client satisfaction demanded of the TRF brand.

As a continuing member of the Society of Will Writers (SWW), we are allowed the use their quality assurance mark “Safe to do Business With” logo.

We fully adhere to the strict SWW Code of Practice. This is a current and valid document which outlines the standards expected from SWW members. Adherence to this Code of Practice is a mandatory requirement of membership and members acknowledge this by signing a “Declaration of Members”.

Many clients are not regular users of the legal services provided by TRF. A consultant or representative of TRF often deals with a client when they are experiencing a difficult or stressful situation. As such, the focus of the TRF consultant or representative MUST ALWAYS be the successful resolution of the client’s legal problem and/or the completion of their transaction. Clear communication and client care are therefore incredibly important in these dealings.

You may wish to refer to our Terms of Business document as you should find this a useful tool to understand important information, in written form, so that you may refer to it later. In anticipation of any potential use of the services of TRF, a copy of our Terms of Business should be left in your possession for your records so you may refer to it in the future if necessary.

This information may be used in evidence in the unlikely event of any complaint arising in the future. The SWW Independent Complaints administrator may seek evidence that this you did receive this document to establish whether you did enter a contract for service with TRF.

TRF Main Principles

These principles represent the protection you can expect when using TRF in the preparation of your legal and/or administrative documents and are reinforced by TRF Terms of Business:

All consultants and representatives of TRF MUST:

ALWAYS act with integrity and provide complete confidentiality; and

Perpetually conduct TRF business with due skill, care, and diligence; and

Continually observe proper professional standards when marketing TRF and its available services to the public; and

Pay complete and full regard to the interests of ALL TRF clients whilst treating them fairly as a matter of course; and

Unerringly communicate information to ALL TRF clients in a manner that is confidential, clear, fair, and NEVER misleading; and

NEVER create a conflict of interest between TRF and any of our clients; and

ALWAYS take absolute and complete care to ensure the suitability of any advice provided to EVERY TRF client; and

Ensure that any documents held on behalf of ANY TRF client(s) by TRF are ALWAYS fully protected; and

Practice enduring equality, respect, and diversity WITHOUT exception; and

Permanently comply with ALL legal and regulatory requirements, including full observance of the Society of Will Writers Code of Practice.

The SWW Code of Practice

Adherence to the SWW Code of Practice is a mandatory requirement of SWW membership. Whilst TRF continues to maintain our Professional Indemnity Insurance and proof of proficiency through continued study and professional reading, then it is expected that we MUST continue to work in accordance with the SWW Code of Practice.

The SWW will be able to identify whether a member does not adhere to their responsibilities in the event of a complaint, and especially if the complaint is brought to the attention of the Independent Complaints Administration Committee through the SWW.

Information that should be supplied to ANY client of TRF

In accordance and in compliance with the SWW Code of Practice, general and specific information should be provided to ALL clients of TRF.

During your first appointment with a consultant or representative of TRF, they should clearly identify themselves. Some identification MUST be supplied upon your request. As a potential client, you will have the opportunity to contact the SWW to verify their valid membership but in all cases their SWW membership card and/or certificate of compliance should be made available for your inspection.

You may also request sight of their certificate of Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII).

TRF Terms of Business must be provided in written format. It will be deemed that you have entered a contract with TRF when you sign to accept this document. It is wise for you to keep one for your records.

Following any meeting whereby the consultant or representative of TRF takes your specific instructions so that the company can then provide you with professional services, you should be asked to read and acknowledge their written notes, which will usually be in the form of either a draft document or a written summary of your requirements. After which, the TRF consultant or representative should make NO alterations to these notes unless in your presence and with your express permission (again, provided in writing or by your signature).

You should ALWAYS receive written confirmation detailing the specific overall price of services you will pay to aid transparency.

You should be made aware of the delivery times for both draft and completed documents. This can be found in the TRF Terms of Business.

This information is also detailed and can be found in Section 4 of the SWW Code of Practice.

Consumer Contract Regulations 2013

These regulations came into force on the 13th of June 2014 and supersede the Doorstep Selling Regulations 2008. These regulations require TRF to provide specific information to clients. If the contract is made ‘off premises’ meaning not on TRF premises, then TRF should provide you with information on your right to cancel. This information is provided within the TRF Terms of Business.

Under the Consumer Contract Regulations, any TRF client has the right to cancel their contract with TRF. You hold this entitlement under section 31 (2) of the regulation which states:

“31 (2) If the trader (TRF) provides the consumer with the information in the period of 12 months beginning with the first day of the 14 days mentioned in regulation 30 (2) to (6), but otherwise in accordance with Part 2, the cancellation period ends at the end of 14 days after the consumer receives the information.”

The reference to “the information” is detailed above in reference to your terms and conditions. Further information can be found in Section 4 of the TRF Terms of Business as well as the SWW Code of Practice.

Complaints

Section 8 of the TRF Terms of Business and SWW Code of Practice deals with complaints.

TRF must have a written procedure in place which should be provided for you upon request. It is sufficient for TRF to include information about their Complaints Procedure in their Terms of Business.

Any client of TRF has the right to bring a complaint to the SWW if they feel that, after contacting TRF in writing, their original complaint was not dealt with to their satisfaction.

If a complaint is brought to the SWW, they will instruct the complainant to raise their concerns with TRF in the first instance and then if not satisfied by the outcome, to then raise their complaint with the SWW. The SWW procedure will then commence.

Ordinarily the independent complaints handler will establish the facts of the case to see if a breach of the SWW Code of Practice has arisen.

Costing information and agreements

All TRF clients must be made aware and understand the information TRF provides for them about the transparent cost of their products and services. This should be in a format that is appropriate to your needs. The cost information with which you are provided must be given BEFORE you agree to use such services.

TRF should make it clear that if you are referred to them by another professional service provider, whether they pay a fee to that referral source.

All this information should allow you as a potential client of TRF to make an informed decision.

Treating Customers Fairly

This is an obvious yet often overlooked outcome. TRF principles and their Code of Practice seek to ensure that clients are treat fairly.

With specific reference to SWW membership principles 3 and 5 it is expected that:

ANY TRF clients will be provided with clear information about the products and services TRF offer, including fees and charges; and

TRF should ascertain your individual needs, preferences, and circumstances BEFORE recommending a product of service; and

A product or service MUST only be recommended by TRF which they consider fully suitable for your needs and that if this is unaffordable, seek to find a suitable alternative solution and always the most suitable from their available options; and

TRF should encourage you to ask questions if there is something that you do not understand, and they MUST be honest and open in their responses; and

You will be given access to a formal Complaints Procedure should you become unhappy with your service.

Communication between TRF and their Clients

Transparency and confidentiality are key when considering client care and the communication between TRF and their clients.

You should ALWAYS understand how to contact TRF, by which medium, at what time, and the nature of the response that you should receive. You should also be confident in the knowledge that any personal information you provide to any representative of TRF shall be retained solely by us for the provision of our services to the best of our ability, and for NO other purpose.

TRF view on Communication and its Effect on Complaints Reduction

As mentioned above, transparency and communication are key when considering client care. TRF take this incredibly seriously. This is demonstrated by its inclusion in our Code of Practice principles.

We believe in aiding the consumer to understand that it is the individual consultant or representative of TRF that is regulated by the SWW, and not TRF (not corporate membership).

It is our solid belief, based on many years of relevant experience, that minimising the potential for complaints has the effect of increasing the likelihood that our products and services will be recommended to other people. We also understand that the opposite is also the case, and almost certainly more vociferously.

Our Communication Methods

Our communication channels all include clear detail of how to reach your TRF consultant or representative. Our website, brochures, and leaflets all contain full and up to date contact information.

If we ever change our details, this will be communicated to ALL clients.

Any marketing communication we undertake with existing or prospective clients MUST be done so in accordance with relevant regulations as follows:

We must check if customers want to be contacted by telephone, Royal Mail or email and give them the chance to object or opt out; and

When we collect customer details, we must obtain your permission if we want to send you other offers or promotions; and

We must also ask for your permission if we want to share your information with another organisation or person.

Email Marketing and Text Messages

We are allowed only to send marketing emails to individual customers if you’ve given us permission.

Emails or text messages must clearly indicate:

Who we are; and

That we are promoting products and services; and

The nature of the promotion and its conditions; and

Customers must be given the right to opt out.

Data Protection

Any data that we obtain, and control as a result, should be done so in accordance with Data Protections rules and principles, principally the Data Protection Act 1998 as well as the General Data Protection Regulations 2016. Information relating to any TRF clients MUST be held securely and this is referenced in our Terms of Business.

A confidentiality agreement is in place with any supplier of third-party services.

After Sales Procedures

Quite often, the sales experience with our client does not end when they receive their ‘product or service’. Ordinarily, we create a relationship with our client whereby we will retain some form of communication and may assist them in future (provided they are satisfied with the product or service they have received).

It may be that we store your documents or call you periodically to identify if you have a need for updates.

Our aftersales service is designed to be free or reasonably priced, and easily accessible. This shall include advice and information regarding ‘products or services’ recently purchased or those that are available for purchase as per 2.16 of the SWW Code of Practice.

Conclusion

It is the objective of TRF to continually build our market share whilst maintain high levels of customer service and satisfaction. All our working practices are the result of this ethic and ultimately we can only achieve our objective if our clients appreciate and value our working practices.

Michael Cotterill – Founder and Proprietor.