Did you know that from April 1st 2013 the Small Claims threshold limit has changed from £5,000 to £10,000, this means the cases that started before the limit stay the same and the ones that have started get the increase. There will be more cases which will now be dealt within the small claims court track, as you are probably aware the main choice for going down this route is the court will usually be a little bit more involved, along with being helpful and sympathetic towards people representing themselves. This is turn will also save time and money on both sides. It is also thought that the lawyers costs will unlikely to given.
Setting up a Business believes that while in some cases it will be allocated to a track accordingly to their specific value, it is possible for a court judge to allocate claims of under £10,000 to the “fast track” or for claims greater than £10,000 to go to the small claims track, if at all the court deems it appropriate. If both parties are in agreement regarding the track then this is a factor the court will take into account.
On another note their is a procedure that is now in place that can change slightly, accordingly to the case. There will now be a preliminary allocation to track by a court clerk, with the opportunity for that to be altered after considering direction questionnaires, of which both parties are to complete. This replace the allocation questionnaires. With the expert witnesses now being only allowed to claim up to £750 capped.
Exclusions for the Small Claims Track
There are certain actions seeking a remedy for harassment or unlawful eviction relating to residential properties, disrepair claims relating to residential premises that exceed £1000, and personal injury claims where the claim for damages is more than £1,000 remain completely excluded from the small claims court track.
If you have setup a small business being new or old, and are having any kind of trouble like bad debts and may want debt collection then we always suggest talking with a solicitor, most do give a free initial review to see how they can help.
