Claimants legal costs

[Brainmelt]

Hopefully one of the moderators will give a moment to answering this query.

Is a defendant allowed to request/view the breakdown of a claimants legal costs, and must the claimant comply?

ie claimants solicitors claims £2,000 costs (but how has this figure been accrued?)

[Brainmelt]

Hi

Anyone help with this question?

[ostell]

Perhaps some further details might help?

[pt2537]

Hopefully one of the moderators will give a moment to answering this query.

Is a defendant allowed to request/view the breakdown of a claimants legal costs, and must the claimant comply?

ie claimants solicitors claims £2,000 costs (but how has this figure been accrued?)

we would need more info to be able to give any steer on how to proceed here.

Was the cost set out on an N260 cost schedule or in written correspondence?

[Brainmelt]

Hello and thank you for taking time to respond.

As defendant i made an offer of settlement - i think it's called a calderbank offer. i laid out a breakdown on how i reached the settlement figure - (this is in connection with major works).

The claimant came back with their own settlement offer which is above the offer i made. Not unusual, but their solicitor's costs i feel were high. The settlement request from the claimant was set in normal letter format and gives 3 weeks for me to accept and if not the consequences, i.e how things would go against me if the hearing proceeded.

This is a matter that is awaiting allocation at court.

The claimants solicitor did not give any breakdown as to how they reached their own figure which seems to be plucked out of the air? so wonder if i could get a breakdown on how they earned their large costs?

I would have been happy to receive a copy of their cost schedule and assume this would give the breakdown.

If i asked for a copy of this would a copy be supplied?

[Brainmelt]

Have found out that a defendant can indeed ask for a breakdown of the claimants legal costs, in the form of solicitors schedule of works to help determine reasonableness. i have therefore made this request.

also found out that judges when a awarding costs rarely award 100 per cent, they knock off up to 30- 40 per cent!