If you're thinking about going to small claims court

If you’ve tried every other way of settling a problem you’ve had with a business, you might think about taking them to the small claims court. This is a less-formal court that hears cases with a value of up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Because cases often involve relatively small amounts of money – and because legal costs generally can’t be recovered even if you win – most people who go to small claims court represent themselves.  

How to bring a case

The small claims court process is designed to be accessible for people without legal qualifications or experience. But there’s still a process to be followed and lots of things to bear in mind if you want the greatest likelihood of success. And it’s important to make sure you’ve done everything possible to resolve your disagreement informally before bringing it to court.

How we can help

If you’re not sure whether it’s worth bringing a case to the small claims court, our experts can help. We’ll take the time to understand the situation and the steps you’ve already taken to try to resolve it. Then we’ll break down the pros and cons of going to court so you can be confident you’re making the right decision. We’ll also suggest any alternative routes you might want to consider.

• listen to what’s happened and what you’ve tried so far
• explain how the small claims court works
• suggest alternatives that might be worth considering