In small claim in court, can I claim printing, envelopes and postage costs?

Ricardo1980

Hello!

I have a hearing in a few months. I had to use small claim in court to recover money a someone stole from me.

The thing is, in postage, envelopes and printing services I already spent about 25 pounds (seems low, but it is 10% of my claim).

Reading:
https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules/part27
I see I can claim loss of earnings, traveling costs, hearing fee.. But nothing about that.
Maybe this "the fixed costs attributable to issuing the claim which "

Any idea? Thanks a lot.

alumende27

This is for the £300 that your landlord withheld from your deposit for cleaning costs and the use of 'too much electricity' from last May?

It's my understanding that you can claim for reasonable costs (as per the above link) if you win in a small claims court hearing. I'm sure if you're successful the judge and court staff will be willing to point you in the right direction but as you have already discovered the costs you can claim for are quite limited and for a claim of your value I think the cap is £50 for valid expenses.

Ricardo1980

Yes, exactly. And apart from that, he even sent me a false bill... but that is another story. I have already a hearing date and I cannot tolerate that behaviour.

Here:
https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules/part27/pd_part27
says "for the loss of earnings or loss of leave of each party or witness due to attending a hearing or staying away from home for the purpose of attending a hearing, a sum not exceeding £95 per day for each person, and" So I understand I can get £95 for loss of earnings (my salary per day more than that).

But my question is about postage and printing.

Yes, I will ask them if I win, but maybe someone here already knows it.

Thanks.

Bogalot

How have you spent £25 on printing etc? I'd be looking for a breakdown before allowing that amount.

McKneff

How can you justify £25 .

steampowered

Unfortunately I cannot see any reference to postage in the list of expenses you can claim.

Unless you can get it in under the heading "such further costs as the court may assess by the summary procedure and order to be paid by a party who has behaved unreasonably" - although if you can prove unreasonable behaviour in conduct of the litigation you may be better off claiming costs for time spent at the litigant in person rate of £19 an hour for time spent on the case (see CPR 46.5 and the Practice Direction thereto).

Fixed costs are claimable where a legal representative is involved, so are not relevant in your case.

Ricardo1980

Bogalot wrote: »

How have you spent £25 on printing etc? I'd be looking for a breakdown before allowing that amount.

McKneff wrote: »

How can you justify £25 .

I have all the bills.
The most expensive was the witness statement, because there were several pictures and I printed them in color. Also have the bills of that.

Ricardo1980

steampowered wrote: »

Unfortunately I cannot see any reference to postage in the list of expenses you can claim.

Unless you can get it in under the heading "such further costs as the court may assess by the summary procedure and order to be paid by a party who has behaved unreasonably" - although if you can prove unreasonable behaviour in conduct of the litigation you may be better off claiming costs for time spent at the litigant in person rate of £19 an hour for time spent on the case (see CPR 46.5 and the Practice Direction thereto).

Fixed costs are claimable where a legal representative is involved, so are not relevant in your case.

Is not sending the witness statement unreasonable behaviour? Because the other part didn't send me that document. Apart from that, at the moment I don't see any other thing I could consider unreasonable behaviour. Well, maybe that the defence box was totally empty.

wealdroam

How many more threads do we need on this saga?

Bogalot

Ricardo1980 wrote: »

I have all the bills.
The most expensive was the witness statement, because there were several pictures and I printed them in color. Also have the bills of that.

You can buy a new printer including ink for less than £25!

The cost of a large letter is 96p, proof of posting is free of charge.

Are you aware that you are expected to mitigate your losses?

Ricardo1980

Bogalot wrote: »

You can buy a new printer including ink for less than £25!

The cost of a large letter is 96p, proof of posting is free of charge.

Are you aware that you are expected to mitigate your losses?

Yep. I think all these costs are normal.