UK seller refunded me after a court claim: what now?
Check that the refund has cleared, credit it against your claim and identify any unpaid fees, interest or other losses. Record what you have agreed, then update the court through the service handling your case. Check whether judgment already exists before discontinuing. Cambridge China Bridge can help organise sourcing records.
Match the refund to the claim
This guide covers a refund from your UK contracting seller after an England and Wales money claim has been filed for China-sourced goods. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different procedures. For the earlier complaint and filing steps, see our UK seller goods dispute guide.
Keep the bank or card record showing the amount received, payment date, payer and reference. Match it to the purchase order and claim number. Prepare a reconciliation showing the amount originally claimed, payments received and the balance you still seek. Separate cleared money from a refund promise, pending card credit or credit against another order.
Check fees, interest and remaining losses
Compare the refund with the components of your filed claim: the purchase price, court fee, interest claimed and any other documented losses. The Money Claim Online guidance says you may still be able to pursue fees after payment following issue, although the seller may dispute them. A purchase-price refund therefore needs checking against the complete claim.
Ask your solicitor to check any remaining entitlement and recalculate interest using the payment date and the basis pleaded in your claim. Do not simply carry forward the original calculation. Send the seller an itemised reconciliation stating what you consider paid and what remains disputed; ask for a written response.
Record exactly what has been settled
Record the parties, claim number, relevant orders, cleared payment and agreed treatment of fees, interest and remaining losses. State whether you accept the refund as the complete settlement or only as payment towards the claim. Include any goods collection arrangements and obligations still awaiting completion.
Ask your solicitor to review the final wording and the proposed court step, including its costs consequences. Our full and final settlement guide covers release wording and unfinished batches. If payment remains only a promise, see requests to close a dispute before refunding.
Use the procedure for your actual case
Tell the seller when payment arrives. For an online claim, use the update route for the service you actually used: Civil Money Claims or Money Claim Online. For a paper claim, contact the court where you sent it. Explain whether you are reporting a payment, confirming an accepted settlement or continuing for a disputed balance.
Discontinuance is a separate procedural step. If you intend to discontinue before judgment, use the N279 notice and send the completed form to the court and all other parties. It can cover all or part of a claim. Ask your solicitor to check the intended scope before submitting it, especially if fees or other losses remain unresolved.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
Check judgment status and keep confirmation
The Money Claim Online guidance says you cannot discontinue once judgment has been entered. If judgment already exists, report payment against that judgment through the court or service handling it, rather than using a pre-judgment discontinuance notice. Wait for cleared funds before marking the case paid.
Keep the reconciliation, settlement correspondence, payment evidence, submitted update or notice and court acknowledgement together. If a hearing or deadline is approaching, ask the court to confirm what remains scheduled or required. Check the recorded case status before treating the court administration as finished.
Frequently asked questions
Does a refund cover my court fee?
Check the refund against the filed claim. Money Claim Online guidance says fees may still be pursued after payment following issue, but the seller may dispute them. Record any agreement about fees expressly.
What if the seller only refunds part of my claim?
Credit the cleared payment, prepare an itemised balance and tell the seller what remains disputed. Ask your solicitor which court step fits the remaining claim before agreeing to close it.
Do I need to tell the court about the refund?
Use the update route for the online service you used, or contact the court for a paper claim. Identify the claim, payment and whether you consider the dispute settled or a balance still outstanding.
Can I discontinue after judgment?
Money Claim Online guidance says discontinuance is unavailable once judgment has been entered. Report payment against the judgment and ask the court handling the case how to update its record.