18/05/2026
COSTS AND CLAIMS UNDER £10,000
Where your claim is worth under £10,000:
Litigation is a complex and expensive area of law with the likely outcome dependent upon current case law, evidential considerations, factual circumstances and the subtle nuances surrounding each individual case.
Cases where the value in dispute is less than £10,000 (with the exception of personal injury claims) will be dealt with in the Small Claims Court. This means that you will not be able to recover your legal costs back from the other side, even if you win.
At Bates Solicitors we offer an initial advice consultation appointment in which we shall give you some preliminary advice with an overview of your options and costs.
We will also provide information about Alternative Dispute Resolution such as Mediation/Arbitration and, should you decide to proceed with the claim yourself (as a Litigant in Person without legal representation) we will provide some initial advice about how to issue proceedings.
If, once you have issued proceedings (or, if you are defending proceedings issued against you) you wish to take ad-hoc advice during the litigation process, we will be happy to assist you, and work will be charged to you at the relevant hourly rate, based on time spent working on your matter, and you will be advised of the fees in advance.
Fees
Our fees for the first half hour of the preliminary consultation appointment are £150.00 + VAT and any over-run, and all subsequent work carried out on your behalf, will be charged at the fee-earner’s applicable hourly rate.
Any time spent in reviewing your documentation in advance of the meeting, by way of preparation, will also be charged at the applicable hourly rate.
For any new enquiries, you can email [email protected] and your query will be handled by the most appropriate lawyer for your request or telephone our Fleet office switchboard 01252 629292 and our receptionist will be pleased to assist and can transfer your call to one of our eight offices.