The Small Claims Court
How to file small claims online in the UK
The Small Claims Court (or county claims
court) is a relatively quick, inexpensive and simple way of
resolving disputes - you don't need a pricey solicitor and the
hearings are less formal than at regular courts.
Before you issue a case at the Small Claims Court you must
firstly have tried to resolve your dispute in other ways. This is
usually done by exhausting a company's complaints procedure and
then by lodging your complaint to the relevant industry ombudsman.
If you have gone through this whole process without reaching a
satisfactory resolution then you can escalate your claim and
follow the small claims procedure.
You may need to present to the judge what you have already done
to attempt to resolve the matter at hand, so ensure that you have
copies of all correspondence sent to and from the relevant company
including letters, telephone notes and any other documentation that
you feel would support your case.
Once you are in a position to make a claim you can apply online
through the Small Claims Court's Money Claim Online website. It can
be a bit daunting to file a claim but our step-by-step guide will
ensure that your claim is a correct and efficient one.
Please note that Money Claim Online can only be used if you are
living in England or Wales. If you live in Scotland you need to
file a claim through the Scottish Courts. If you live in Northern
Ireland, you need to apply through the Northern Ireland Court
System.
What are the Small Claims
Court fees?
To file a claim at the Small Claims Court you need to pay a
court fee, the amount depends on how much you are claiming for. The
costs at the time of this guide are shown below
|
Amount claimed
|
Fee payable
|
|
£1 - £300
|
£20
|
|
£301 - £500
|
£50
|
|
£501 - £1000
|
£80
|
|
£1001 - £5000
|
£110
|
How to start your
claim online
Claims Financial