Company damaged my doors, assaulted my boyfriend, are taking me to County Court, fabricated costs.

NakedGene

Thank you. I wasn't aware about the legal cover in home insurance extending to that and the idea of the cost of legal advice isn't something I thought I could contemplate. All sounds wildly stupid and naive, I know, but there's a reason I was bargain basement hunting for the service at £200 for stripping 7 doors anyway - I haven't got money to chuck at this. 

Worried_fool

NakedGene said:

I've never not paid for anything in my life, I had the demanded £200 in cash in my hand, I just didn't think it was fair to pay to have my property so mistreated at the time. I even offered to pay £100 (half the original service fee today) to make this go away because it's all been so stressful but she said the least she'd take is £250 - the extra £50 to cover the claim cost. Perhaps I should have done that because I'm terrified the full costs after costs are going to be much greater afterwards and I genuinely can't afford it but I can't bear being bullied like that. Any advice very greatly appreciated. 

Don't worry about having to pay costs. The sums involved are modest so this will be in the 'small claims' track, where the court does not usually make an Order about costs (so the side that wins still has to pay their own costs). Under small claims, the emphasis is more on finding a reasonable outcome rather than resolving points of law and so litigants are not expected to engage lawyers.

Anyway, since you have legal insurance you should follow their advice.

macman

The driver attempted to headbutt your boyfriend, but you didn't press the charges because you 'felt sorry for him'?
That practically merits sainthood.

Sandtree

Worried_fool said:

NakedGene said:

I've never not paid for anything in my life, I had the demanded £200 in cash in my hand, I just didn't think it was fair to pay to have my property so mistreated at the time. I even offered to pay £100 (half the original service fee today) to make this go away because it's all been so stressful but she said the least she'd take is £250 - the extra £50 to cover the claim cost. Perhaps I should have done that because I'm terrified the full costs after costs are going to be much greater afterwards and I genuinely can't afford it but I can't bear being bullied like that. Any advice very greatly appreciated. 

Don't worry about having to pay costs. The sums involved are modest so this will be in the 'small claims' track, where the court does not usually make an Order about costs (so the side that wins still has to pay their own costs). Under small claims, the emphasis is more on finding a reasonable outcome rather than resolving points of law and so litigants are not expected to engage lawyers.

Small track cases don't typically allow legal representation costs however they do routinely include other costs, such as the court fees.  The OP states the costs being mentioned are £50 which is remarkably aligned to the £25 online issuing fee and £25 trial fee for a claim under £300

Jenni_D

The fees are now actually £35 filing for up to £300 (and I assume the same for the hearing), and have been for a while. (I'm not sure when it changed, but it was a few months ago - that was when they removed the discount for online filing and aligned the fees with paper filing).

https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money/court-fees

Sandtree

Jenni_D said:

The fees are now actually £35 filing for up to £300 (and I assume the same for the hearing), and have been for a while. (I'm not sure when it changed, but it was a few months ago - that was when they removed the discount for online filing and aligned the fees with paper filing).

https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money/court-fees

The case has already been issued and got as far as the court suggesting mediation which has also now happened so could be was before the online discounts were removed given the court backlog (which I assume is still existing)