What Is The Small Claims Court Limit?

Small claims court limits are just one of several essential factors to consider when deciding whether to seek compensation through the courts. Timing, available evidence, and the other party’s ability to pay any money awarded all impact whether your claim will resolve successfully. 

One way to help ensure your case proceeds smoothly is to use a secure AI-powered small claims platform like CaseCraft.AI to file and track your claim. The user-friendly app saves you considerable time and effort, while alerting you to case updates so that you never miss a court deadline.

The Small Claims Court Limit – In Summary

Small claims court limits are in place because the small claims track of County Court is designed for simple cases that don’t involve large sums or complex issues. People typically claim through the small claims track for things like being owed a refund, minor landlord disputes, personal accident or injury, or unpaid wages. 

The monetary value of a claim is often not straightforward, which is why the court also considers several additional factors when deciding which track a case falls under. These include the case’s likely complexity, the number of parties involved, and the value of any potential counterclaim. The amount of evidence required to substantiate your claim is also significant.

Small Claims Limit Increased To £10,000

In 2013, the UK small claims court limit increased from £5,000 to £10,000, which is the current accepted limit for money claims raised in this track. This increase was intended to make raising a civil claim as efficient as possible, and to make the court system more accessible for claimants. 

Cases dealt with on the small claims track follow more straightforward court rules, which helps keep legal costs down and provides greater access to legal avenues for civil compensation. Hearings are shorter and less formal, and a telephone mediation service is available before a court hearing is necessary, increasing the likelihood of an amicable settlement being reached.

It’s essential to explore all possible conciliation avenues before filing a small claims court case. You can attempt to secure compensation amicably by sending a written request to the other party outlining your claim and supplying all relevant evidence, such as proof of any breach of contract. Should this request go unanswered, you can then take action by sending a formal complaint letter, known as a statutory demand, which provides the other party with 21 days in which to outline their recommended plan of restitution. After this time has passed, you can then issue a money claim at small claims court if an agreement has not been reached.

The Department of Justice has the power to review and update the small claims court limit, and it is possible that the ceiling will increase to £15,000 or more in the future. For now, though, if you do decide to raise a claim, you must use the fast track for all claims over £10,000 and below £25,000, or the Money Claim Online service for claims over £25,000.

About The Small Claims Court Time Limit

In addition to the monetary ceiling placed on small court claims, there is also a small claims court time limit in place that you should be aware of. Claimants have six years to file a claim from the date that they were first inconvenienced or initially went unpaid. For example, if you were claiming for unpaid wages, you would have six years to claim from the date that your wages first went unpaid.

Usually, the monetary value of your claim is the main deciding factor in whether it is allocated to small claims or a different track of the County Court. If you are unsure whether small claims is the correct track for your case to be managed under, you can seek the services of a specialist solicitor to advise you on whether and how to raise your claim.

What Is The Limit For Small Claims Court Disputes Between Landlords and Tenants?

Different rules apply to disputes between landlords and tenants. You can raise a small claim if your landlord is responsible for repairing something and they haven’t repaired it, but the maximum you can claim in this instance is £1,000. If your landlord has already undertaken repairs and you’re claiming compensation for things like inconvenience, stress, cleaning or extra heating costs, you can claim up to £10,000 in small claims court.

Filing with small claims court can be complicated and time-consuming. If you have unsuccessfully attempted to secure an amicable resolution, and you decide that the potential compensation justifies taking your case to court, as long as the monetary value of your case does not exceed the small claims court limit, you can pursue compensation through this track.  We recommend using CaseCraft.AI to simplify and streamline the process of filing and managing your claim.