The vast majority of consumers are sceptical about the quality of legal services provided by supermarkets and banks, according to a major survey.

Some 69% of respondents in a study carried out for the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) said they would be concerned about the quality of services offered by these organisations.

The survey additionally showed that 83% of people who had used a solicitor in the last five years were satisfied with the service. Complaints about solicitors' services were most frequently taken up with the Citizens' Advice Bureau. Some 51% did not know who was responsible for regulating solicitors, with 19% believing this was a government function. Only 9% identified the SRA.

Commenting on the findings, Jon Andrews, Joint Managing Partner at Rowlands, said: “I'm not surprised that people are concerned about the quality of legal services provide by supermarkets and banks.

“Our firm, like many others, has a tradition of relationship-based service stretching back more than 100 years, with many longstanding clients who recognise that our relationship is long-term and personal, not short-term and transactional. A firm's reputation is hard-won through its expertise and diligence over an extensive period. Reputation should not be seen as a pre-packed item and consumers are correctly wary of the Tesco Law concept.”

Jon added: “The survey also indicates that the SRA needs to do more to promote itself in the public consciousness. It is a regulatory body that fulfils a very important role and it's essential if the public is to have confidence in our legal services system that the SRA's activities are more widely recognised and understood.”