Small Claims Proceedings Guidance

This page contains guidance for making a small claim in court and includes the pre-action letter of claim. The Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims commences on 1 October 2017 for England and Wales. The Protocol applies to any business (including sole traders and public bodies) claiming payment of a debt from an individual (including a sole trader). It, therefore, applies to all landlords recovering a debt from a tenant and guarantor (where the tenant/guarantor is an individual). The Protocol will also apply to letting agents seeking to recover a debt owed to them directly from an individual. The Protocol aims to encourage early engagement and communication between the parties and enable the parties to resolve the matter without the need to start court proceedings.