Services have been successfully restored after a cyber-attack caused significant disruptions to property completions. CTS, the IT service provider for law firms, announced that its systems were back online just before Christmas, following nearly a month of extensive work to resolve the issue. While the company expressed gratitude for the patience shown by affected firms, homeowners who suffered financial losses now have the option to file complaints through the Legal Ombudsman.

Approximately 80 law firms experienced various issues, including email and digital paperwork access problems, as well as impediments in finalizing property deals due to the cyber-attack on CTS. However, CTS confirmed that all their managed systems were fully restored by December 22nd, much to the relief of their clients.

"We can confirm that all CTS managed systems were restored by the 22nd of December. Our clients have been kept updated throughout, and we would like to thank them for their patience as we worked with a team of experts to resolve this matter as safely and efficiently as possible," stated CTS.

The Legal Ombudsman acknowledged the challenging situation and stressed its authority in ensuring clients receive the expected level of service from their conveyancing firm. Additionally, the ombudsman has the power to address any complaint raised by clients and to assess the clients' financial losses.

"If someone believes they've suffered a financial loss following the attack, or have been affected in another, non-financial way, then in the first instance they should let the service provider know, raising a formal complaint if they're unhappy with the service they've received," explained an ombudsman spokesman.

Clients are advised to file their complaints within eight weeks after receiving a response from the law firm. If the customer remains unsatisfied, they can escalate the complaint to the ombudsman, who will thoroughly evaluate whether the firm took the necessary precautions to protect their clients from cyber-attacks and if they responded appropriately to the incident.

The ombudsman holds the power to direct firms to refund or compensate customers for any losses that occurred due to their failings if it determines that the service provided was inadequate.

The cyber-attack incident was promptly reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) by CTS, and the ICO has initiated investigations into the matter.

As the affected law firms recuperate from the disruption, homeowners facing financial losses can now seek resolution and compensation through the legal channels provided.