UK seller court claim: how do I respond?
Verify the claim with the named court, identify the jurisdiction and response service, and protect the deadline. Explain why the claimed balance is disputed and prepare a separate, evidenced counterclaim if the seller owes you money. Request sourcing and inspection records from Cambridge China Bridge.
Verify the claim and the parties
Keep the claim, attachments, envelope and original email. Check the court name, claim reference, claimant, defendant and amount against your order records. Find the court's contact details independently through the government website and ask it to confirm the case and response route. Distinguish a seller's payment demand from papers for an issued court claim.
Match the claimant to the contracting seller and check whom the claim names as defendant. Our guide to seller and agent roles helps identify the agreement to examine. Record whether the goods were for home use, resale or mixed purposes, and ask an adviser to assess your position rather than relying on the invoice heading.
Identify the court procedure and response service
Check whether the papers concern England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Their court processes differ. The response instructions below concern England and Wales money claims; do not apply them to Scottish or Northern Irish papers. Ask the named court about its procedure and get legal advice promptly if you dispute jurisdiction.
For an online claim, check whether it used Online Civil Money Claims or Money Claim Online and use the corresponding service. If you cannot use the online service, a paper response is available. For a paper claim, follow the postal instructions. Identify whether the amount is specified before choosing forms.
Protect the deadline before negotiating
You must respond by the date in the court letter or email. For the standard paper procedure, where particulars of claim accompany the claim, the initial reply period is 14 days from service. If you need more time to prepare a defence, submit the acknowledgement of service within that period; this allows 28 days from service of the particulars to file the defence. Confirm the applicable dates with the court.
Use the online service's own deadline and extension instructions for an online claim. Keep confirmation of every submission. Treat settlement discussions as a separate task and continue working to the court deadline. Failing to respond in time can lead to a judgment against you. If a deadline has passed or judgment has arrived, seek legal advice immediately.
Prepare a defence that answers the claim
Address the seller's allegations individually. The defence form requires you to identify allegations you deny and explain why; failing to deny an allegation may be treated as admitting it. Separate the order price, payments, alleged cancellation charge and other disputed charges. If admitting part of a specified money claim under the paper procedure, use both N9A and N9B and follow the deadline instructions.
Explain what was agreed, what happened and why the balance is disputed. Gather the accepted terms, payment records, cancellation message and sending evidence, seller replies, delivery records and relevant defect evidence. If cancellation is your argument, check personal-order cancellation and bespoke-order deposits. Ask an adviser to check the legal basis; saying that you changed your mind is not a complete explanation.
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Separate a counterclaim and prepare the next steps
You can counterclaim if you think the seller owes you money; a court fee may apply. Set out the remedy sought, supporting facts and calculation separately from your reasons for disputing its claim. For a specified money claim using the paper procedure, N9B covers defence and counterclaim. If responding online, ask the service how to submit a counterclaim before the deadline. Complete and sign the required statement of truth.
Keep copies and submission receipts. Follow the court's instructions for any directions questionnaire, mediation and hearing preparation. Our goods-dispute guide covers organising evidence and preparing settlement proposals. Request dated factory, inspection and shipment records relevant to the dispute, and distinguish what those records demonstrate from what you still need to establish.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check whether a court claim is genuine?
Find the named court's contact details independently through the government website. Ask it to verify the claim reference, parties and response route. Keep the original papers and email.
How long do I have to defend the claim?
Follow the court notice. Standard paper claims normally require a reply within 14 days of service of the particulars. A timely acknowledgement allows 28 days from that service to file a defence. Online instructions may differ.
Can I ignore the claim because I cancelled?
Respond by the court deadline even if you dispute the debt. Explain the cancellation, its basis and your evidence in the defence. Failure to respond in time can lead to judgment against you.
Can I counterclaim for my deposit?
You can counterclaim if you think the seller owes you money. Explain why the deposit should be returned and provide the payment and cancellation records. Check the filing route and any fee before submitting.