The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has resorted to court action for the first time to enforce a decision against a firm of solicitors.

Only after the action was launched did the firm pay out £2,650 in compensation to a client, as the ombudsman had ordered, plus interest.

A district judge sitting at Birmingham County Court yesterday ordered the firm to pay the ombudsman’s costs of £1,215.

LeO said its policy is not to name the firm involved.

A second case at the same court was adjourned to allow a different firm to comply with the ombudsman’s decision. In that case, the firm had mismanaged work for a property owner and the ombudsman had ordered it to pay the client £5,704 in compensation.

When the firm failed to comply, the ombudsman issued proceedings for the court’s permission to enforce the decision as if it were a court judgment.

The firm initially tried to argue that the decision was defective but, when the ombudsman produced the relevant legal materials, it agreed to settle the matter and pay the ombudsman’s costs.

Adam Sampson, chief legal ombudsman, said the cases were the first such enforcement proceedings brought by LeO under the Legal Services Act 2007. ‘[They] are a reminder that the ombudsman’s decisions, once accepted by complainants, are binding,’ he added.