When you’ve been treated badly, it’s understandable you’ll want to stand up for yourself. Whether it’s a business that’s underdelivered, or whether you’ve been the victim of theft, there are things you can do to ensure you receive justice.
Taking the problem to a small claims court is one option open to you. However, before you take this route, there’s a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. Here, you’ll discover how to determine when to make a claim and what other potential options are available.
Ensure your case is eligible to go to court
The first thing you should do, is ensure that your case is eligible to be taken to court. Generally speaking, small claims courts allow claims to be made up to the sum of £10,000. This applies for claims being made for problems with products or services which have been bought and paid for.
You can only make a claim for transactions made within the past six years. You can also make a claim if you’re self-employed and haven’t been paid for services, or if you paid for professional services and their advice has had a negative impact on your life.
Do you have a strong claim?
Even if your claim is eligible, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll win. You need to ensure you have a strong claim in place. If you don’t, your case is unlikely to win in court. Most importantly, you need some form of evidence to back up your claim. Good types of evidence include receipts, invoices and photos of any damage caused.
Trying to settle out of court
Ideally, even if you are eligible to make a claim, it’s best to try and resolve the situation out of court. It can be expensive, plus it’s good to have tried every possible solution before taking it to court. That way, if you do need to pursue the case in court, it will show you did try to resolve the issue in various other ways, which will go in your favour.
Ready to take it to court?
If you do want to take your case to court, you’ll need a good lawyer. As it can be expensive, it’s a good idea to opt for a lawyer that offers a no win no fee claim. Make sure you choose the right type of lawyer too. For example, if you’ve been let down by professional advice or negligence, you’ll be better off with a solicitor which specialises in professional negligence claims.
Taking a small claim to court should ideally be your last resort. If a resolution cannot be found, progressing the claim to the courts could be a good way to get the money back or compensation for any damages you’ve experienced.
To read more on topics like this, check out the money category
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