Hi, I hope someone can help me. I have an ongoing dispute with my university. They are trying to enter judgement agaisnt me. I have filed my defence and received the small claims directions questionnaire. My question is it asks me to serve copies of it on all parties and return it to the court. How do I legally serve someone. Is there particular language that I need to use? Or can I simply send copies with a cover letter? Any advice will be appreciated.

Hi Andy please see below I XXX make this statement as my defence brought by Hadfield & Co Solicitors on behalf of the claimant “University of Westminster” No documents supporting the claim in the particulars have been provided, instead reference is made to invoices provided nearly two years ago dating from 08/10/2012-22/10/2012. The invoices I have in my possession that pertain to these dates merely give an overall amount of what is owed and does not itemise the invoice according to modules taken and cost of individual modules. I therefore request for an itemised invoice which has been broken down by module, detailing costs, so I may admit to or deny this claim or part of it. The particulars of the claim does not make reference to or bring attention to the fact that there is a prior outstanding dispute that I the defendant currently have with the university of Westminster regarding money that is owed to myself in relation to module fees that have been paid in full for the Academic year 2011/2012 equating to £900 however module grades were never received. The module code in question is BKE402. This dispute dates back to 2012, every effort has been made by myself the defendant to mediate with the University and its representatives in order to resolve the matter however to no avail. Discussions are still being had to date. I have documentary evidence to support this statement. I the defendant contend that this is a clear abuse of process as the claimant is claiming for monies which it is not entitled to and knows that this is the case. If it is deemed that I the defendant am liable to pay part of the claim minus the monies I am owed by the university I would be willing to do so, however without this dispute being resolved I can neither admit or deny owing the claimant monies. The claimant in particulars sections 2 & 3 makes reference to the fact that interesticon and statutory interest should be applied to the amount claimed. I the defendant question if a.) this is lawful as the amount claimed is under £5000 and b.) Is it appropriate for the claimant to add interest to this dated claim in light of the fact they are also responsible for the length of time it has taken to resolve it by not resolving the initial dispute the defendant brought before them prior? I the defendant contend the legalities of the claim as best to my knowledge a default notice was never received and copies of the original Credit Consumer Agreement were not provided by the claimant. This to best of my knowledge and current understanding deviates away from process. Without clarification of the points raised above I the defendant am extremely disadvantaged and the claimants claim appears to be with out merit. I XXX believe the above statement to be true and factual to the best of my knowledge XXX 15th May 2014

Tomorrow the 17th, I submitted it earlier this evening as I didnt want to leave it to late, so hopefully all is ok. Thanks Hannah

Hi Andy, please dont forget about me. I appreciate you helping me

Hi guys please particulars of claim as verbatim below. Once again thank you The claimant claims 1225.00 in respect of 1. University Tuition provided by the claimant at the defendents request, full particulars whereof having been supplied by way of claimants invoice dated 08 October 2012 to 22 October 2012 2. The claimant claims the further sum of 137.13 pursuant to S.69 of the County Courts Act 1984 at the rate of 8.00% from the date on which the invoice(s) were due to date. 3. The Claimant also claims statutory interest at the above daily rate of 0.27 from the date hereof to payment or Judgement whichever is the sooner 4 Costs

Thanks Andy Can someone give me sone advice on what they think of the intial defence below? I XXX make this statement as my defence brought by Hadfield & Co Solicitors on behalf of the claimant “University of Westminster” No documents supporting the claim in the particulars have been provided, instead reference is made to invoices provided nearly two years ago dating from 08/10/2012-22/10/2012. The invoices I have in my possession that pertain to these dates merely give an overall amount of what is owed and does not itemise the invoice according to modules taken and cost of individual modules. I therefore request for an itemised invoice which has been broken down by module, detailing costs, so I may admit to or deny this claim or part of it. The particulars of the claim does not make reference to or bring attention to the fact that there is a prior outstanding dispute that I the defendant currently have with the university of Westminster regarding money that is owed to myself in relation to module fees that have been paid in full for the Academic year 2011/2012 equating to £900 however module grades were never received. The module code in question is BKE402. This dispute dates back to 2012, every effort has been made by myself the defendant to mediate with the University and its representatives in order to resolve the matter however to no avail. Discussions are still being had to date. I have documentary evidence to support this statement. I the defendant contend that this is a clear abuse of process as the claimant is claiming for monies which it is not entitled to and knows that this is the case. If it is deemed that I the defendant am liable to pay part of the claim minus the monies I am owed by the university I would be willing to do so, however without this dispute being resolved I can neither admit or deny owing the claimant monies. The claimant in particulars sections 2 & 3 makes reference to the fact that interest and statutory interest should be applied to the amount claimed. I the defendant question if a.) this is lawful as the amount claimed is under £5000 and b.) Is it appropriate for the claimant to add interest to this dated claim in light of the fact they are also responsible for the length of time it has taken to resolve it by not resolving the initial dispute the defendant brought before them prior? I the defendant contend the legalities of the claim as best to my knowledge a default notice was never received and copies of the original Credit Consumer Agreement were not provided by the claimant. This to best of my knowledge and current understanding deviates away from process. Without clarification of the points raised above I the defendant am extremely disadvantaged and the claimants claim appears to be with out merit. I XXX believe the above statement to be true and factual to the best of my knowledge XXX 15th May 2014

Thank you Andy, Does anyone else make my intial defence due in tomorrow or Saturday? Thanks for your help guys

I made it saturday? I have had a bereavement in my family that is why it was put on the back burner 33 days from the 14th is the 17th of may? I am only posting a holding defence now pending the time my case is transferred to a local court Thank you for your help

Hello, Yes I acknowleged the claim previously but choose to defend in full and counter claim. Do you have any views or opnions on what I could do? Also if I have already said I plan to defend in full and counter claim in the Aos can I now change it to part defence? Thanks

Thank you for your help

Ok I see, despite the fact I had a unresolved dispute with them. My whole argument was I had paid for a service and not received the end result I do not recall signing an credit agreement for uni Many Thanks for your help

can you suggest any way I can lay this out most defence replies I have seen are not in layman terms and refer to different clauses. Also will I be liable to pay the interest and solicitors fees, as I am not willing to do so

Hello BazzaS, I suppose in actual fact yes I would owe them £325, however the uni is not being very co operative with my intial dispute re the £900 owed to me. I had disputed this fact long before they issued me with the claim, however they have ignored this fact and just pursued me for the £1225 (plus interest) I would be more than willing to pay the £325 but the uni has not said whether this would be an option and are dragging their feet. If I admit part of the claim (thats if the judge accepts it) I may still get a ccj if not paid within 28 days Do you think I have a leg to stand on? What would you advise I put in my defence The £900 I am claiming for is for a previous academic year 2011/2012 where I paid for tuition fees snd never received my module grades They are claiming fortuition fees from the year 2012/2013 however I specfically said I was not willing to pay any more money until A full investigation had been done to unearth why I never received module grades for 2011/2012 I have this in writing. The university simply ignored me did nothing and 2 years later my grades are still outstanding. Hope that clarifys

Hello Apoligies if I am going about this in the wrong way. On the 14th April I received a county claim form from Hadfield & Townsend solicitors on behalf of the university of westminster for fees owed of £1225 including interest £1507 Now I had a previous dispute with the university re money they owed me equating to £900. As a result of me paying fees and never receiving marks I have disputed this for nearly 2 years now. I plan on defending the ccj in full and counter flaiming for the £900 My questions are - What do you think the likely hood is that I will win my case based on the fact their is a previous dispute where they in fact owe me money - The university have been un un coperative not responding, having to be chased for answers. I have most email trails - The solicitors acting on behalf of the uni did not issue me with a default notice letter they merely sent a letter stating if payment was not received within 7 days legal procedings would start agaisnt me - The university never told me they were transferring my account to sta I just started receving calls - In the claim they did not provide evidence or a copy of my cca Any body that can help me I will be eternally grateful this whole saga has dragged out