Money Claim

Declan1992

Not sure which section to post this is but here we go.

Hi,

I had some work completed for me by a landscape company. Now the job wasn’t fully completed however they promised to return 2/3 days later to correct it as it was late in the day. I made the payment by bank transfer (rookie move).

Now they responded to me for the first 2/3 days and to my partner but then totally ignored me and her and all forms of messages on text, Facebook via there business page and calls.

I posted a bad review on a review site and provided them with the proof necessary to do so. I also posted a shared review onto a Facebook community page detailing my dealings with them to warn others.

Fast forward 3 months and a money claim has been made against me stating the fence was damaged after installation however I have a photo from the day of installation showing it in the condition it was left. Also for my ‘slanderous’ quotes that have caused them to loose Business.

What’s my best play here and what are my chances?

Cheers

boo_star

Defamation isn't tried in the county court, let alone the small claims track.

Do you want to revise your story or give up?

Declan1992

No story to revise.

When I got the email for the money claim.

Amount breakdown Amount
Defamation & loss of earnings £1,500

That is what it states.

LordSmug

Declan1992 wrote: »

No story to revise.

When I got the email for the money claim.

Amount breakdown Amount
Defamation & loss of earnings £1,500

That is what it states.

County court claims are not served by email.

Do you want to revise your story or give up?

Ebe_Scrooge

LordSmug wrote: »

County court claims are not served by email.

Do you want to revise your story or give up?

To be fair to the OP, it's entirely possible that the so-called "money claim" is simply an email that was sent by the landscaping company themselves in an attempt to scare him into paying some form of compensation to them.

OP, what was the sender's email address ? If it's from the landscaping company, or something like a gmail or hotmail account, then it's nothing to worry about. As per the previous replies, you'd never receive any genuine court documents via email, and any genuine solicitor or such-like wouldn't be using a gmail address or similar.

Declan1992

https://www.gov.uk/respond-money-claim

Hi.. it’s one of these

Ben8282

Declan1992 wrote: »

https://www.gov.uk/respond-money-claim

Hi.. it’s one of these

No it's not.

It's a SCAM.

Declan1992

Hi,

The email is from money.claim@notifications.service.gov.uk

After doing my own research the claim is genuine.

Not sure why your quite saying it’s a scam Ben but cheers for the input.

Just looking for some advice

Ben8282

Slanderous?
I would have thought libelous.

Declan1992

Slanderous is the quote on the claim details and on the heading for the photo evidence.

I thought slander was a spoken word not a written word and am I correct in saying the onus is on the claimant to prove that such comments if proved untrue have provided loss of earnings with proof.

I feel I have a strong case with evidence between us showing I was ignored on 23 occasions when trying to make contact

Also does the claimant have to provide notice of intent to file a claim in such a case to attempt to come to an agreement before they can peruse such action ?

sourcrates

Hi,

Claims are sent via Royal Mail, you receive a claim pack in the post, it is not sent by email.
Prior to that, a “letter before claim” is sent, this is a questionnaire type document, that allows you to come to an amicable arrangement without proceeding to court, again it must be sent in the form of a letter.
Also the email address for MCOL is mcol@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk.

I think what you have received is either an ordinary email, or a scam.