Complaints
Handling

As a valued client, we take great care in providing the service you are entitled to expect. We recognise, however, that occasionally things can go wrong, and you may wish to complain about the service you have received and/or about a bill. We have a formal Complaints Handling Procedure, and we want you to understand how it works. The procedure will ensure that:

• Complaints are taken seriously and receive a prompt response; and
• Any complainant knows as soon as possible whether or not we agree that the complaint is justified.

How to raise a concern

If there is something you are unhappy with, please first contact the lawyer who is your main point of contact for your matter, as they will usually be best placed to resolve the issue quickly.

If you feel that the issue cannot be resolved with your main contact, you may escalate your complaint to Qarrar Somji, a Director at Witan Solicitors. Complaints should be sent in writing to Qarrar by email at qsomji@witansolicitors.co.uk or by post to our office at Witan Solicitors Limited, Bradford Court, 123-131 Bradford Street, Birmingham, B12 0NS. Where possible, please use our Complaints Feedback Form. Where not possible to send complaint in writing, you can call our offices on 0300 303 2071 where a staff member will take details of your complaint and forward them to Qarrar.

What will happen next?

• Acknowledgement – We will write to you within seven working days acknowledging your complaint and enclosing a copy of this policy.
• Investigation – Qarrar Somji, as our designated complaints handler, will review your matter file and speak to the member of staff who acted for you.
• Discussion – We may invite you to a meeting or telephone discussion about your complaint, if appropriate.
• Outcome – We will write to you at the end of our investigation to tell you what we have done and what we propose to do to resolve your complaint, aiming to do so within 21 days of our acknowledgement. If this is not possible, we will provide a revised timescale. In any event, we will provide you with our final response within eight weeks of receiving your complaint, in line with the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s requirements.

If You Remain Dissatisfied

Although we always aim to handle and resolve any complaints to your satisfaction, if you are not content with the way we have managed the matter, you may refer your complaint to the Legal Ombudsman for an independent review. The Legal Ombudsman investigates complaints about inadequate service provided by legal professionals.

You can raise a complaint within one year of the issue occurring, or from the date you became aware that there was a problem. If you choose to refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman, this must be done within six months of the date of our final response.

The contact details for the Legal Ombudsman are as follows:

• Website: www.legalombudsman.org.uk
• Email: enquiries@legalombudsman.org.uk
• Telephone: 0300 555 0333 between 8.30am and 5.30pm
• In writing: Legal Ombudsman, PO Box 6167, Slough, SL1 0EH.

What to do if you are unhappy with our behaviour

If you are concerned about our behaviour, the Solicitors Regulation Authority may be able to help you. You should contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority if you consider we have acted dishonestly, taken or lost your money, or treated you unfairly because of your age, disability, or another characteristic.

Complaints about your bill

The above complaints procedure also applies to complaints concerning our bill. There may also be a right to object to the bill by applying to the court for an assessment of the bill under Part III of the Solicitors Act 1974.

What will it cost?

We will not charge you for handling your complaint. Please note that if we have issued a bill for work done on the matter, and all or some of the bill is not paid, we may be entitled to charge interest on the outstanding amount. This is explained in our Terms of Business. The Legal Ombudsman service is free of charge.

Timescales

We have explained above the timescales involved, but if we have to change any of them, we will let you know and explain why.