Search
  1. Home
  2. Personal Finance Hub
  3. What is Money Claim Online?
Published 16 February 2021

What is Money Claim Online?

Money Claim Online is one of the ways you can make a claim for any money you are owed, up to £100,000, and it can often be a cheaper and quicker alternative to going to court.

If you want to make a small court claim against a company or individual, you now have the option of doing it online via Money Claim Online. Here’s everything you need to know.

What is Money Claim Online?

Money Claim Online, or MCOL, is an alternative way to make a small claim instead of having to issue a civil claim through the County Court system.

You can use the small claims process if you want to get compensation, or a refund, after something has gone wrong with a purchase. Alternatively, you might use it if you have not been paid for a job you have done, have purchased a faulty product or received poor service.

MCOL vs the County Court small claims process

There are several differences between MCOL and issuing a claim in the county courts. These include:

Who can make a claim using MCOL?

To make a claim using Money Claim Online you need to have:

You must also:

You also cannot use MCOL to make a claim against:

How to make a claim using MCOL

Before you put in a claim with MCOL you should write to the company or individual in question. Make sure to include your details such as your address; what has happened; what you want them to do about it; and how much money you want.

You should give them a deadline to reply – 14 days is the norm – and tell them you will start court proceedings if you haven’t heard from them after that date.

If you are still unhappy after the deadline has passed you can contact MCOL. To do this, you need to tell MCOL how much you wish to claim, why you believe you are owed the money and a timeline of events.

You need to register with Money Claim Online, then you can start your application by filling out a form giving all the details of your claim.

How to decide how much to claim

You should make a claim to cover the money you want back relating to the problem, or what it would cost you to put the issue right. For example, if you are claiming for faulty workmanship get quotes to find out how much it would cost to put right and that is the amount that you should claim.

You can also claim for interest on the money you are owed. There are details of how to do this on the claim form.

Compensation aims to put you in the same financial position as you would have been in if the person or company had not behaved in a way that led to your complaint. You can’t make a profit.

If you win, you’ll get the cost of the court fees back as well as your claim.

What does it cost to make a claim?

The fee varies depending on how much your claim is for:

Claim amountMoney Claim Online Fee
  • Up to £300
  • £300.01 to £500
  • £500.01 to £1,000
  • £1,000.01 to £1,500
  • £1,500.01 to £3,000
  • £3,000.01 to £5,000
  • £5,000.01 to £10,000
  • £10,000.01 to £100,000
  • £25
  • £35
  • £60
  • £70
  • £105
  • £185
  • £410
  • 4.5% of the claim

Image Source: Getty Images

About the Author

Ruth Jackson-Kirby

Ruth is a freelance journalist with 15 years of experience writing for national newspapers, magazines and websites. Specialising in savings, investments, pensions and property.

Read More
Dive even deeper
Why High UK Inflation Means Your Money Costs More and Buys Less – and What you Can do About it

Why High UK Inflation Means Your Money Costs More and Buys Less – and What you Can do About it

Rising interest rates, high inflation and a flat economy mean your money is becoming more expensive, but less valuable.  The knock-on effects of the Bank of England aggressively hiking the base rate to combat UK inflation makes borrowing money more expensive and saving money more rewarding.  Against a backdrop of rising prices that erode your […]

Pet Owners Avoid the Vet as Household Finances are Squeezed

Pet Owners Avoid the Vet as Household Finances are Squeezed

With household budgets stretched, some pet owners are delaying taking their furry, feathered or scaly friends to the vet to avoid increasingly tough-to-afford bills. We look at the options to help manage these costs.

One in Four Adults Feel Anxious About Money at Least Once a Day

One in Four Adults Feel Anxious About Money at Least Once a Day

According to a new NerdWallet survey, one in four UK adults feel anxious about their finances at least once a day. Find out how money worries are affecting our mental health and where you can get help.

Back To Top