Taking a garage to the small claims court in Northern Ireland

Who deals with a small claim in Northern Ireland

The small claims process allows certain types of claims to be decided informally by the County Court, usually without the need of a solicitor or barrister. Sources: ^[1]

The Civil Processing Centre, in Laganside Courts, processes all cases at the start; if a case is disputed it is then transferred to the office that is within the original application for hearing. Sources: ^[1]

Once a case has been submitted to the Civil Processing Centre and verified, the respondent is posted a small claims pack giving all relevant information about the case, including a copy of the completed small claims application form. Sources: ^[1]

The court does not pay the amount awarded; it only decides who is liable, and a decree or order made by the Small Claims Court is a County Court Judgment that may affect the respondent's credit status. Sources: ^[1]

The Enforcement of Judgments Office is part of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service and will help you to recover the amount claimed by enforcing any decree that you are granted. Sources: ^[13]

The small claims process allows certain types of claims to be decided informally by the County Court, usually without the need of a solicitor or barrister.

The court does not pay the amount that is awarded; it only decides who is liable.

What counts as a small claim, and what is shut out

Article 30(3) of the County Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1980, as amended by the County Courts (Financial Limits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2022, sets the small-claim ceiling at £5,000; nidirect gives the same current figure. Sources: ^{[2] [3] [1]}

A small claim must not relate to personal injuries, road traffic accidents, libel or slander, title to land, legacy or annuity, or any property of a marriage. Sources: ^{[1] [7]}

If the total sum at issue between the same parties exceeds the small claims limit, the claimant must either abandon the amount above it, which is expressly noted, or issue a civil bill in the County Court for a full hearing, which nidirect describes as being for claims up to £30,000, checked on 13 August 2026. Sources: ^{[1] [4] [5]}

There are two types of small claim: liquidated, where the amount claimed is set, and unliquidated, where the amount is estimated, which is the category nidirect gives for damage to property, faulty goods or workmanship. Sources: ^[1]

In general a small claim is one where the value to be claimed is not more than £5,000 and which does not relate to personal injuries, road traffic accidents, libel or slander, title to land, legacy or annuity or any property of a marriage.

A dispute about a repair that was not done properly is normally an unliquidated claim, because you are asking the court to put a figure on the loss rather than to enforce a set amount. Read the exclusion list carefully: if your complaint is really about an injury or a collision rather than the standard of the repair work, the small claims process is not the route.

The usual time limit for a contract claim

Article 4 of the Limitation (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 sets the usual period for an action founded on simple contract at six years from the date on which the cause of action accrued, but expressly makes that rule subject to Articles 5, 7 and 9, so the six-year period is not universal. Sources: ^[6]

This page does not decide the legal basis of an individual claim or the date on which its cause of action accrued. If timing could matter, get Northern Ireland legal advice promptly rather than choosing a start date yourself.

Before you pay a court fee

nidirect advises speaking to the trader first and, if you are still dissatisfied, putting the complaint in writing and keeping a copy; if there is no reply after a reasonable time, for example 14 days, it advises writing again with a copy of the first letter. Sources: ^[9]

Before you begin a small claim, the Department of Justice warns that if the respondent has no money to pay the amount of the claim you may not get your money. Sources: ^[13]

The Enforcement of Judgments Office maintains a Judgments Register that you can search against a possible debtor for a fee, showing whether the respondent already owes money to other people, which you can use to decide whether to proceed. Sources: ^{[13] [1]}

The current Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service checklist requires two additional copies of the application form and any accompanying documents, plus an additional copy for each respondent after the first; it warns that an application will be returned if required information or copies are missing. Sources: ^{[12] [7]}

The process usually does not require a solicitor or barrister. Order 26, rules 43 to 45 generally allow no costs beyond the appropriate court fee, but provide specified exceptions including unreasonable conduct, so do not assume professional fees will be recovered. Sources: ^{[1] [7]}

Checklist

• Put your complaint to the garage in writing first and keep a copy, with the outcome you want and a date for a reply.
• Gather the booking record, written estimate or quote, invoice, payment record and any warranty paperwork.
• Write down the original symptoms, what work you authorised, and what changed after the repair.
• Keep receipts for anything you had to spend because of the fault, such as recovery or a second opinion.
• Check whether the trader still trades and is worth pursuing before you pay a court fee.
• Ring Consumerline for free advice on where you stand before you apply.

How to start the claim

You can complete a small claim online using the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service Small Claims Online service, reached through the Department of Justice online services page after logging in or registering. Sources: ^{[10] [13]}

The online service allows the public and businesses to make a small claims application outside normal working hours and to track the progress of the application online. Sources: ^[1]

The Department of Justice publishes the current small claims application form and checklist for people who prefer to apply on paper. Sources: ^{[10] [11]}

Under Order 26, a paper small claim is made on Form 125: the original, two copies and the appropriate fee may be brought or sent to any court office, with one extra copy for each additional respondent. The current checklist also requires two additional copies of any accompanying documents and an additional copy for each further respondent. Sources: ^{[7] [12]}

Payments made through the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service online site can be made by Visa or MasterCard debit or credit card, or from an ICOS pre-paid account. Sources: ^[13]

If you are unsure which court to enter on the paper form, or whether an office can accept the way you plan to lodge it, confirm the current requirement with the Civil Processing Centre or a court office before submitting.

nidirect — Small claims process

What it costs

The fee for a small claim application depends on the amount you wish to claim. Sources: ^[1]

The Department of Justice publishes the current small claims fees, which sit in section 5 of the County Court fee schedule and cover the application, a counterclaim or set-off, a notice of appeal, a third party notice and an application to set aside a small claims default decree. Sources: ^[14]

If your claim is successful, the respondent will be ordered to pay you the amount decided by the judge plus the application fee and any other costs awarded; if you are not successful, you will not get your fee back. Sources: ^[1]

Order 26, rule 44 says that no witness expenses may be awarded, except for an expert witness who gives written or oral evidence at the judge's request under rule 37. Sources: ^[7]

Fee amounts change, so this page does not repeat them. Read the current figures on the Department of Justice small claims fees page before you budget for a claim.

If you plan to call a witness, confirm the current summons, fee and expense requirements with the Civil Processing Centre or court office before you incur costs.

Department of Justice — Small claims fees

If the garage is not in Northern Ireland

If you wish to issue a small claim to a respondent who lives outside Northern Ireland but within the UK, you can still use the Northern Ireland small claims procedure if you are resident in Northern Ireland. Sources: ^{[10] [1]}

There is no provision for new incoming or outgoing European Small Claims after 31 December 2020, and the Department of Justice states that this includes the Republic of Ireland. Sources: ^{[10] [1]}

For a claim against a trader outside the UK, the Department of Justice suggests considering a process where the respondent resides. Sources: ^[10]

There is no provision for new incoming or outgoing European Small Claims (this includes the Republic of Ireland) after 31 December 2020.

This matters near the border. If the work was done at a garage in the Republic of Ireland, the Northern Ireland small claims route is not a shortcut into that dispute, and the official advice is to look at the process where the trader is based.

If you disagree with the decision

Article 30(4)(ab) allows a small-claims appeal on a question of law. The current County Court Rules require Form 130 for the notice of appeal and Form 131 for a response, and the Department of Justice publishes both forms. Sources: ^{[2] [8] [11]}

Article 30(4A) requires the question-of-law appeal to be brought within 21 days commencing with the date on which the order, decision or determination was made. Sources: ^{[2] [8]}

A fee is payable on lodging a notice of appeal. The current Department of Justice court-fees page says that people on a low income or certain benefits may qualify for fee exemption or remission and links the application form and guidance. Sources: ^{[14] [15]}

Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service staff can explain the administrative process and help with forms, but cannot provide legal advice. Sources: ^[16]

An appeal under paragraph (4)(ab) shall be brought within the period of twenty-one days commencing with the date on which the order, decision or determination was made

Act immediately if you think the decision contains an error of law. Ask the Civil Processing Centre or court office straight away to confirm how to lodge and serve Form 130 and how the 21-day period applies to your dates; because staff cannot give legal advice, consider speaking to a Northern Ireland solicitor.

Free consumer help in Northern Ireland

Consumerline is the consumer advice helpline for the Trading Standards Service and answers consumer complaints and business enquiries on behalf of the Trading Standards Service in Northern Ireland. Sources: ^[17]

The areas Consumerline deals with include faulty goods, substandard service, pricing, false or misleading descriptions of goods and services, and unfair contract terms. Sources: ^[17]

Consumerline advisers cannot make a complaint for you and cannot take legal action on your behalf. Sources: ^[17]

If the matter appears to potentially break criminal legislation enforced by the Trading Standards Service, Consumerline may refer details of your complaint to the Trading Standards Service. Sources: ^[17]

nidirect gives the Consumerline helpline number as 0300 123 62 62, open 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Thursday and 9.00 am to 4.00 pm on Friday, with the exception of bank and public holidays, checked on 13 August 2026. Sources: ^[17]

Consumerline also takes complaints and advice requests through an online web form and aims to respond within five working days of receiving one. Sources: ^{[17] [18]}

Consumerline is for Northern Ireland consumers only; consumers from England, Scotland and Wales are directed to Consumer Advice on GOV.UK. Sources: ^[18]

Consumerline is the consumer advice helpline for the Trading Standards Service.

Consumerline is not a court and cannot order the garage to pay you. Use it to understand your position and to report a trader, then decide separately whether to make a small claim.

nidirect — Contact Consumerline to make a complaint or ask for advice

Do not copy an English or Scottish process across

GOV.UK states that there is a different process to make a court claim in Scotland and to make a court claim in Northern Ireland, and links to nidirect for the Northern Ireland route. Sources: ^[19]

There's a different process to make a court claim in Scotland and to make a court claim in Northern Ireland.

The court, the forms, the online service, the money limit and the fee bands are all set separately in Northern Ireland. Advice written for the England and Wales money claim service, or for Simple Procedure in Scotland, will not match what the Civil Processing Centre expects.

Important

Court procedure, limits and fees change. Check the current nidirect and Department of Justice pages linked here before you apply.

Do not drive a vehicle you have been told is unsafe in order to preserve evidence or return it to a garage; arrange recovery instead.