What Is a Small Claim?

Small claims are usually civil cases where one party seeks financial redress against another. It could be for an unpaid bill, damages or compensation for faulty goods or inadequate service, or a landlord and tenant dispute involving unpaid rent.

These claims are usually valued at £10,000 or less. The Small Claims Court is not a separate court but rather a track and one of three ways civil claims are handled in the County Court. Value is not always the only reason to allocate a claim to a particular track. Legal complexity means a claim valued at under £10,000 can be assigned to a different track.

Its a common misconception that small claims have a separate court and/or that they are simpler to deal with as the process is different. In reality the same court rules apply to these disputes as any other, and the same rules of evidence; process and law also apply.