They said this… · Court action

“If you lose a small claim, you will have to pay all of the other side’s solicitor fees”

Generally incorrect

Costs on the small-claims track are generally restricted; it is not the same ordinary costs regime as higher-value litigation.

Not sure which right applies? Check your situation →

Why this answer

What actually matters

  • Court fees, certain fixed costs, witness expenses and limited other amounts can still be recoverable.
  • Unreasonable conduct can create additional cost risk.
  • Allocation and case circumstances matter.

What you could say

Keep the response tied to the actual rule.

Evidence

What to have beside you

  • Contract, correspondence and core evidence supporting each allegation
  • Letter before claim and response
  • A schedule of the money/remedy claimed
  • Court orders and every filing/serving deadline

If they still refuse

Move the dispute forward.

  1. Treat court deadlines as procedural obligations, not ordinary complaint targets.
  2. Keep the issues proportionate and tie each factual proposition to evidence.
  3. If the case is legally or factually complex, obtain legal advice rather than relying on a general-information page alone.

Read the full rules

Go deeper before escalating.

Primary guideRead the detailed ConsumerWise guidance.Court ActionRead the full guide.Pre-action conductRead the full guide.Small claimsRead the full guide.