Making a claim for an injury

Find out more by reading our ‘Got a legal issue?' page called 'I've been injured'.

Making a claim for money someone owes you

There are times in life when you might think someone hasn't paid you what they should, or maybe just owes you some money. One example is when a landlord refuses to return a deposit to their tenant, or if the tenant refuses to pay the rent.

Talk it through

Before even looking at legal options you should try to resolve things with each other. It pays to keep an open mind and at least give each other the chance to put across your points of view. If talking face-to-face doesn't work you could write or email to whoever it is that you think owes you money. Be clear about exactly how much, and why you think they owe you.

You should also be clear about when you want things sorted out. If you are dealing with a business you could make this an official letter of complaint.

Consider mediation

Mediation services can help to resolve complaints and are often a cheaper alternative to going to court. You can get more information about this from the Government's website.

Talk to an Ombudsman

If you are dealing with a business at this stage there are sometimes independent bodies called Ombudsmen that can help. The business should tell you who to get in touch with. For example, if you are dealing with a bank you can talk to the Financial Ombudsman. You can get a full list of Ombudsmen services from Citizens Advice

If you are dealing with another person you might consider making a claim in court at this stage.

Making a claim because of a dispute with a trader

If you think that a trader like a builder or a shop owes you money or should compensate you, we recommend taking a look at Citizens Advice's Advice Guide for help.

 

Using a small claims court

If you haven't been able to resolve the situation between you, another option to consider is using a small claims court. Your local court has an option to handle claims quickly if they are for less than £10,000, or £1,000 if the claim is for a personal injury or housing disrepair.

You can get all the facts about the small claims process from the Government's website www.moneyclaim.gov.uk