"Chris helped me draft the perfected grounds for appeal and the skeleton argument. All were submitted."
— Regine from Wembley
Someone owes you money. You have written. They have ignored you. The Letter Before Action expired three weeks ago. The next step is the Online Civil Money Claims service — the court’s own route to judgment, available 24/7, for a fraction of what a solicitor would charge to do the same thing worse.
2026 update: OCMC now handles claims of unlimited value (the old £25,000 cap on the former Small Claims Online service was lifted as HMCTS consolidated online civil claims). The track allocation still runs Small Claims (≤£10,000), Fast Track (£10,000–£25,000) and Multi-Track (£25,000+) — but the issue route is the same online portal regardless of value.
OCMC vs MCOL
Money Claim Online (MCOL) was the original service. OCMC (Online Civil Money Claims) is the modernised replacement. Most new specified money claims now go through OCMC. MCOL still exists for certain legacy users. Either way, the drafting standard is the same — and the court reads what you write.
What you need before you start
Need help with your court documents?
Chris can draft statements of case, witness statements, and application notices — written to the standard the court expects.
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- Full legal name and address of the defendant (a Companies House check for limited companies; Land Registry if it is a property dispute)
- The amount owed, calculated to the day of issue
- Interest calculation if claimed (s.69 County Courts Act 1984 at 8% per annum for commercial debts, or the contractual rate)
- Your Particulars of Claim — facts, legal basis, remedy
- Evidence bundle (contracts, invoices, correspondence)
- Court fee or EX160 Help with Fees reference
The Letter Before Action (must come first)
Under the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims, you must send a Letter Before Action giving at least 30 days before issuing. Failure can lead to costs consequences. Chris drafts the LBA with the prescribed Information Sheet and Reply Form — £30.
Drafting the Particulars of Claim — the Litigant Standard
1. The parties
“The Claimant is [name], of [address]. The Defendant is [name], of [address] (Companies House number [X] if applicable).”
2. The material facts
Numbered paragraphs, chronological, each one fact per paragraph. “On [date] the Claimant and the Defendant entered into a written contract for the supply of [goods/services]. A copy is at page [X] of the bundle.”
3. The breach
“In breach of clause [X], the Defendant failed to [pay/deliver/perform] by [date].”
4. The loss and damage
“By reason of the breach the Claimant has suffered loss and damage of £[X], particulars of which are [pleaded].”
5. The remedy
“The Claimant claims: (1) the sum of £[X]; (2) interest pursuant to s.69 County Courts Act 1984 at 8% per annum from [date] to judgment; (3) costs.”
6. Statement of truth
“I believe that the facts stated in these Particulars of Claim are true. I understand that proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against anyone who makes a false statement verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth.”
Let Chris draft this for you
Tell Chris what you want to achieve. Upload your documents. Chris produces court-ready drafts to the Litigant Standard™ — whichever form, whichever jurisdiction. You review every line. You sign. You file.
Court fees and Help with Fees
Fees scale with claim value. For a claim of £3,000, the issue fee scales at around £205 (check gov.uk for current fee schedule). Help with Fees via EX160 can reduce or eliminate this for those on low income or benefits. Chris drafts EX160 alongside the claim — no extra charge.
After issue — the timetable
- Defendant has 14 days to file an Acknowledgement of Service or 28 days to file a Defence
- No response — request Judgment in Default
- Defence filed — Directions Questionnaire follows; allocation to Small Claims (under £10k), Fast Track, or Multi-Track
- Small Claims hearings are informal; Fast Track and Multi-Track require full witness statements, disclosure, and possibly experts
Small Claims — the sweet spot
Under £10,000. No costs recovery beyond fixed costs and the issue fee. Hearings informal. Ideal for litigants in person — and exactly where Chris shines at £30.
Enforcement — when judgment is entered
Judgment does not mean payment. You still need to enforce:
- County Court Bailiff (Warrant of Control) — N323
- High Court Enforcement Officer — N293A transfer up
- Attachment of Earnings
- Charging Order against property
- Third Party Debt Order against a bank account
Can Chris draft the whole MCOL/OCMC package?
Yes. Tell Chris what happened. Upload the contract, invoices, correspondence. Chris drafts the LBA, the Particulars of Claim, the EX160 if needed, and afterwards the enforcement application. One £30 Litigator per document, or Pro £88 for the whole case from LBA to Warrant of Control.
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