Defendant User Guide

Responding to a claim

You have 14 days from the date of service of the claim to respond. The date of service is calculated to be 5 days from the date the claim is issued.

Once you have received the claim, you have 5 options to respond:

• Pay the claim in full
• Make a full admission
• Make a part admission
• File an acknowledgement of service
• Defend the claim
• Make a counterclaim against the claimant

With the exception of a counterclaim, there is no fee for responding to a claim. If you plan to take this course of action, please read all the information provided in the claim pack first.

DO NOT IGNORE A CLAIM

If you choose to ignore a claim, the claimant can request judgment by default. This may result in an order saying that you must pay the money claimed on terms specified by the claimant. For example, they could ask for the money to be paid in full immediately, accompanied by enforcement proceedings.