Legal Ombudsman time limits matter when a conveyancing problem emerges after purchase. A buyer’s solicitor may question your boundary, title documents or legal rights when you try to sell. You may then wonder why the issue was not explained when you bought.
The age of the purchase does not, by itself, answer whether a complaint is in time. The relevant dates include when there was cause for complaint, when you should reasonably have known about it and when the firm sent its final response.
Originally published on 7 February 2013. Updated on 3 October 2026 to reflect the Legal Ombudsman’s current published Scheme Rules.
Has a boundary problem emerged since you bought?
If your sale or remortgage has raised questions about your garden, driveway or title plan, understanding the problem is the first step.
Read When I Bought’s boundary problems guide.
Contacting When I Bought does not pause complaint or court deadlines.
What are the Legal Ombudsman time limits?
For complaints referred from 1 April 2023, the ordinary deadline is:
- One year from the act or omission being complained about; or
- One year from when you should reasonably have known there was cause for complaint.
A separate six-month deadline may apply following the firm’s final written response. Both sets of requirements need to be considered.
The older six-year and three-year periods should not be used to assess a new referral simply because the conveyancing took place before April 2023.
Complain to the conveyancing firm first
Normally, you should use the firm’s complaints procedure before approaching the Legal Ombudsman. Set out your concerns, the relevant dates and the outcome you are seeking. Keep a copy.
You can approach the Ombudsman if you are dissatisfied with the final response or the firm has not responded within eight weeks. Exceptional circumstances may allow earlier consideration.
The Legal Ombudsman’s complaints guide explains the process.
When does the six-month deadline apply?
The six-month period runs from the date of the firm’s final written response, provided that response prominently includes:
- An explanation that the Legal Ombudsman is available if you remain dissatisfied.
- The Ombudsman’s full contact details.
- A warning that you must refer the complaint within six months of the response’s date.
If the required information is missing, that particular deadline may not apply. The separate one-year requirements still need checking.
Eight weeks without a response does not start a six-month final-response deadline. It allows you to escalate the unresolved complaint.
What if you only discover the problem when selling?
Consider an illustrative example. You bought a house several years ago. During a later sale, the buyer’s solicitor questions whether part of the garden falls outside your title.
The investigation should establish what the documents show, what was explained when you bought and whether anything earlier should reasonably have alerted you to a cause for complaint.
The date of the new enquiry may be important, but it is not automatically the starting date. Earlier correspondence or advice may also matter. Nor does the enquiry itself prove that the original conveyancer made an error.
Our guide to boundary problems when selling a house distinguishes plan precision, ownership discrepancies and actual disputes.
Other issues may also emerge later, including flying freehold problems or questions about chancel repair liability. Each complaint requires its own assessment.
Which documents help establish the timeline?
- Your original Report on Title, plans and purchase correspondence.
- Earlier enquiries or warnings about the issue.
- The new enquiry, survey or lender correspondence that brought it to attention.
- Your complaint to the firm and its final response.
Record dates as well as the substance of the advice. Our article on understanding the Report on Title explains why a signed acknowledgement is only part of the evidence.
Can the Ombudsman extend a deadline?
The Ombudsman has discretion to extend time limits where doing so is fair and reasonable in the circumstances. Acceptance is not guaranteed.
If a deadline may have passed, explain the chronology and reasons for delay when contacting the Ombudsman. Check the current Scheme Rules, particularly rules 4.4 to 4.8.
A service complaint and a court claim have different deadlines
The Legal Ombudsman process is distinct from a professional negligence claim. Do not use its time limits to calculate the deadline for court proceedings.
If you are considering a claim, obtain independent advice promptly. Do not assume that complaining to the firm or approaching the Ombudsman preserves your position for court proceedings.
Understand the property problem and check the dates
A boundary question raised during a sale needs investigation. Your complaint timeline needs attention alongside that work.
Explore boundary problems with When I Bought, or check how to contact the Legal Ombudsman.
This article provides general information about complaints concerning legal services in England and Wales. The Ombudsman assesses eligibility and time limits against the circumstances of each complaint.
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