Know what's claimed before you reply.
Letters before claim you've sent or received, county court claims, statutory demands, and disputes with a builder, a neighbour or a firm. What's claimed, every date and amount, and the questions to take to a solicitor or adviser.
Launch price £49 for up to 10 pages. Standard price £99 from 1 February 2027.Standard price £99 from 1 February 2027
£49
up to 10 pages, then £3 a page
Been sent a court claim? Respond in time. GOV.UK says you might have to pay more or get a county court judgment if you don't.
A statutory demand gives 21 days. GOV.UK says the person or company it's sent to has 21 days to respond. After that, the creditor can apply to make them bankrupt or wind up their company.
We don't calculate or watch deadlines. If a date is close, speak to a solicitor or a free adviser now. Don't wait for a pack.
Free help first.
- Citizens Advice consumer service.
Free calls and impartial advice on a problem with a trader, including builders. It tells you the law that applies, but can't make a complaint or take legal action for you.
Contact the consumer service - Builders and tradespeople.
Citizens Advice's guide covers quotes, insurance, written contracts and what to do if there are problems.
Citizens Advice: building work - Neighbours and party walls.
GOV.UK suggests talking first, then mediation. For party walls and boundaries, the RICS helpline puts you in touch with a local member for a free 30-minute first consultation.
GOV.UK: neighbour disputes - A complaint about a bank, lender or insurer.
Complain to the firm first. The FCA says firms must generally give you the outcome in writing within 8 weeks. The Financial Ombudsman is free and independent.
FCA: how to complain
Owe money and worried about paying? Free debt advice comes first
What people bring us.
A letter before claim you've received.
Who says what's owed or what went wrong, the amount, and the date to reply.
A letter before claim you're about to send.
What your draft claims, from whom and by when, with points to check with an adviser before it goes.
A county court claim.
What's claimed, the amount and any interest, and the dates in the papers. GOV.UK explains how to respond.
A statutory demand.
Who it's from, the amount, and the dates on it.
A dispute with a builder.
The quote, the contract and the letters: price, scope, payments and defects.
A neighbour dispute or party wall notice.
What work is proposed, and the dates. RICS says the surveyors' fees normally fall on the neighbour doing the work.
A complaint and the firm's final response.
What you complained about, what the firm says, and the dates in its letter.
What we mark for you.
- Every date: to reply, to respond to the court, to pay.
- What's claimed, the amounts and any interest, in the papers' own words.
- What the claim relies on: the contract, the invoice, the letters.
- Documents the papers mention that we haven't seen.
Each point is pinned to its page, with a question to ask. A star marks wording that may help you.
What a pack does, and doesn't do.
Does
- Explains what the papers say
- Lists every date and amount
- Writes your questions for a solicitor or adviser
Doesn't
- Fill in, file or serve court forms
- Represent you, or contact the other side
- Give a view on whether to settle, pay or defend
What a first step can cost.
£354–£506
Selected court guideline rates for a senior solicitor's hour, inc. VAT: not a market range or a quote.1
£1,200
In a dispute: one firm's fixed fee for an initial review of up to 40 pages with telephone advice, inc. VAT. It excludes matters with a limitation deadline in the next 3 months.4
Citizens Advice
Free. Start there for a problem with a trader.
Read it first for £49. Go into that first call knowing what's claimed, and what to ask about it.
See my priceFind someone: Law Society Find a Solicitor · RICS Find a Surveyor
Know what's claimed, then decide.
Preparation for advice, not advice. We don't fill in court forms or contact the other side. If the papers give a date, act on it now.