1. The wrong name wastes time and money. Match the contract to the registered name, number and office.
2. A claim starts before court. Make a written complaint, share key evidence and send the right Letter Before Action.
3. Winning is not the same as being paid. Check status and assets before filing, a hearing or enforcement.
You can sue a company for a civil claim, such as a refused refund, faulty goods, poor service, an unpaid invoice or a broken contract. In England and Wales, most claims worth £10,000 or less use the County Court small claims track. Before filing, identify the legal entity, check its status on Companies House and collect proof of your loss.
Make a complaint, consider dispute resolution and send the Letter Before Action. This guide explains how to sue a company, what the process costs and what happens at mediation, a hearing and enforcement. Scotland and Northern Ireland use different rules.
Can you sue a company in the UK?
Yes. A person or business can bring a civil claim against a company. Common cases concern refunds, invoices, damage and broken contracts.
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 says goods must be of satisfactory quality. Consumer services need reasonable care and skill. Those rules can support suing a company for faulty goods and sue a company for poor service. See the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
Most straightforward claims worth no more than £10,000 use the County Court small claims track. Injury, housing and non-money claims can follow different rules. Read CPR Part 26.
People ask: how can you sue a company with no solicitor? You can act for yourself. Get advice for hard points. For how to sue a company for a refund, prove the right, refusal and loss. A second: how to sue a company for a refund check asks whether the company can pay. The proof test fits suing a company for poor service and suing a company for faulty goods. Read CaseCraft.AI’s refund guide.
This route may not fit: employment, complex cases, suing a company for negligence, serious injury, an injunction or a claim over £10,000.
Want to know whether the dispute fits? Check the case with CaseCraft.AI before paying a court fee.
Before you sue a company: identify the correct defendant
Check who made the contract. A brand can belong to another legal entity.
Search the Companies House register. Record the full name, number, registered office, status and any strike-off notice. Accounts are risk signals, not proof of funds. Read the register guide.
This check matters for suing a limited company in the UK. A limited company is separate from its directors. Name the company that made the contract or caused the loss.
Can you sue the company director? Office alone does not create personal liability. A guarantee or personal wrong can change that. Check company and personal debts.
To see if you can sue a company director personally, check the guarantee and conduct. Suing the company and its director needs a separate basis for each.
Who should you sue?
| Business type | Potential defendant | What to check |
| Limited company | The registered limited company | Contract name, company number and status |
| Sole trader | The individual, named as trading under the business name | Invoice, full personal name and service address |
| Partnership | The partnership or the right partners, based on its structure | Agreement, letterhead and legal form |
| Franchise | The entity that made the contract | Receipt, terms and franchise company details |
| Subsidiary | Usually the subsidiary that made the contract | Do not assume the parent is liable |
Have this table legally checked. For what address do I use to sue a company? Use current details and the right service rule. A small claims court against a company still needs the County Court track and the correct party.
How to sue a company: 7 steps
The short answer to how do you sue a company or how to sue a business is identify, warn, prove, file and follow through. These steps show how to take a company to small claims court. They answer how to take a company to small claims court in practice.
Step 1. Make a formal complaint
Write to the company. State what happened, the result you want and a fair reply date. Use its complaints process. Keep each record. Check an ombudsman, regulator, chargeback, Section 75 claim or ADR scheme. Court is the last resort. Read the Pre-Action Conduct Practice Direction. Start with a clear demand, not a claim form.
Step 2. Confirm the company details
Run a fresh Companies House search. Compare it with the contract, invoice and receipt. Save the record.
Step 3. Send a Letter Before Action
A Letter Before Action to a company names both sides, states the facts and legal basis, sets the remedy, calculates the loss, lists evidence and invites ADR. Say the court can follow.
There is no universal 14-day rule. The General Practice Direction gives 14 days for a simple case and no more than three months for a very complex one. A specialist protocol can differ.
If the company ignored the Letter Before Action, check the deadline and protocol. Review the defendant. Use CaseCraft.AI’s Letter Before Action template. A second Letter Before Action to a company is not a cure for a wrong name.
CaseCraft.AI can collect the facts and pre-action file. Start a claim assessment once the complaint is ready.
Step 4. Calculate the claim and organise evidence
Claim sums you can prove. Match each sum to a dated document.
Evidence checklist:
- Contract, terms and order details
- Receipt, invoice and proof of payment
- Emails, messages and complaint replies
- Photos, videos and repair quotes
- Witness details and any permitted expert report
- One loss schedule with dates, sums and calculations
Remote or speculative losses can fail. GOV.UK says interest for many debts is usually 8%. Some late business debts use 8% plus Bank Rate. A contract rate can displace it. Check the official interest guide.
To sue a company for breach of contract, show the term, breach and loss. A claim to sue a company for breach of contract fails without that link. For a refund, show payment, requests and refusal. See how to present evidence in small claims court.
Step 5. File the money claim
Many fixed claims can start through the GOV.UK online service. Use form N1 where that route does not fit, such as an unknown amount. Check how to make the claim.
You need the correct name, address, particulars, amount and fee. The fee is the claim plus interest. Some people qualify for help with fees.
Step 6. Deal with the response and mediation
The company can pay, admit, settle, defend, counterclaim or stay silent. Silence does not create a judgment. Request it through the right process. The company can seek set-aside on permitted grounds.
Disputed money claims of £10,000 or less go to free court-run mediation. A judge can sanction non-attendance or no real effort. The phone appointment lasts up to one hour. Read the current mediation rules.
This stage answers how long it does take to sue a company. There is no fixed duration. A defence, mediation and hearing add time.
Step 7. Prepare for the hearing and enforce judgment
Follow every direction. Exchange documents on time. Put the claim form, contract, messages, witness statements and loss schedule in date order. Add page numbers and an index.
At the hearing, explain the duty, breach, loss and remedy. Keep it factual. The judge can use a fair, informal method. Read CPR Part 27.
A win may need enforcement. If the company did not pay the court judgment, options include a warrant of control, third-party debt order, charging order or questioning a company officer. Attachment of earnings is not for a limited company.
Use the right method for known assets. See CaseCraft.AI’s judgment enforcement guide and the official enforcement guide.
How much does it cost to sue a company?
For how much it costs to sue a company, add the issue fee, any hearing fee and possible enforcement fee. These figures were checked on 7 September 2026.
| Claim amount | Issue fee | Hearing fee |
| Up to £300 | £35 | £27 |
| £300.01 to £500 | £50 | £59 |
| £500.01 to £1,000 | £70 | £85 |
| £1,000.01 to £1,500 | £80 | £123 |
| £1,500.01 to £3,000 | £115 | £181 |
| £3,000.01 to £5,000 | £205 | £346 |
| £5,000.01 to £10,000 | £455 | £346 |
Source: GOV.UK issue fees and HMCTS EX50 hearing fees.
Example: A £1,700 claim costs £115 to issue and £181 for a hearing. The total is £296. Enforcement costs extra.
CPR 27.14 limits recoverable costs on the small claims track. Court fees, set expenses and costs linked to unreasonable conduct can fall within the rule. Solicitor fees are not usually recovered. Read CaseCraft.AI’s guide to small claims court fees.
What if the company is insolvent, in administration or dissolved?
Check recovery before filing. If a company in liquidation owes you money, describe your case, register the debt, but expect no guaranteed payment. Read Insolvency Service guidance.
Administration protects the company from creditor action. A sue a dissolved company plan can require restoration first. Search for a dissolved company only after checking status. A creditor can object to proposed strike-off with proof. See administration, dissolved companies and strike-off objections.
Get insolvency advice before spending more. A judgment against an empty company can have little practical value.
Common mistakes when suing a company
- Naming a brand, director or parent company without a legal basis
- Using an old address or missing a pending strike-off
- Skipping the complaint, ADR or the right pre-action protocol
- Sending a weak letter after the company ignored a Letter Before Action
- Claiming a sum with no clear loss schedule
- Missing a limitation date. Simple contract claims often have a six-year limit, but other limits apply. See the Limitation Act 1980
- Treating suing a company for negligence as a routine debt claim
- Assuming suing the company director creates payment pressure
- Ignoring mediation, directions or evidence deadlines
- Trying to enforce judgment against a company with no asset check
Next step
To sue a company, check the defendant, assets and evidence. If you ask how to sue a company, start there. These steps show how to take a company to small claims court and how to take legal action against a company.
CaseCraft.AI can flag missing evidence. Start your claim assessment. Outcomes are not guaranteed. CaseCraft.AI is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
Note: This guide gives general information on civil claims in England and Wales. It is not legal advice. Forms, fees and court processes can change. Check current official guidance before filing. Seek qualified advice for a complex or unclear case.
Friendly Asked Questions
How do I sue a company in small claims court?
First, confirm the company’s full legal name and registered office. Make a written complaint and send a Letter Before Action. Set out what happened, what you want and how you calculated the loss. If the company does not settle, file a County Court money claim. Claims worth £10,000 or less normally use the small claims track.
Can I sue a limited company or its director?
You should normally sue the limited company that entered the contract or caused the loss. A limited company has a separate legal identity from its directors. A director is not personally liable just from managing the company. You need a separate legal basis, such as a personal guarantee or a wrong committed by the director.
Can I sue a company without a solicitor?
Yes. You can represent yourself in a small claim. The small claims track is designed for people who do not have legal representation. A solicitor may still help if the claim is complex, the defendant is unclear, the company is insolvent or the value may exceed £10,000. Legal fees are not normally recoverable on the small claims track.
What address do I use when suing a company?
Use the company’s exact legal name and check its current registered office on Companies House. Compare those details with your contract, invoice and receipt. Do not rely only on a shop, website or trading address. Check the company details again before filing, as its registered office or legal status may have changed.
How long does it take to sue a company?
There is no fixed timeframe. A straightforward pre-action response can take 14 days. A complex dispute may need more time. After filing, the court gives the company a response deadline. A defended claim then moves through mediation and, if no agreement is reached, a hearing. Court workload and the conduct of both parties affect the final timescale.
What happens if the company does not pay after I win?
The court does not collect the money automatically. You must apply for enforcement and pay another court fee. Options include a warrant of control, third-party debt order, charging order or an order requiring a company officer to disclose financial information. Choose the method that matches the company’s known assets. Recovery is not guaranteed if the company has no money or property.
