Cabot/Mortimer Clarke County Court Claim defence

[francolin]

I've just stumbled across this forum. I require some assistance. Getting right to it, I have gotten a County Court Claim issued against me from Cabot/Mortimer. I acknowledged the claim online. I can't afford to pay it. I would rather avoid a CCJ so I contacted them and made an offer of payment for £5 a month. I'm on a very low income. However they refused and insisted that they would want me to pay under judgement.

I would like to enter a defence. Is it a valid defence to explain that I have made a reasonable offer for payment but they've refused? Also is it possible to challenge the legal fees? They're asking for an additional £70 court costs and £80 in legal assistance. I don't know much about this sort of stuff, but I would say that the legal fees incurred are a result of them pursuing the claim and are therefore a business cost that I shouldn't have to pay. And should I defend the whole claim or just the costs? Any help would be appreciated.

[Amethyst]

Welcome - have a read through:- First Steps

and if you can post the information asked for on this thread I'll pop in tomorrow and see what you need to be doing xxx

The costs are reasonable and valid, but there may be other defences available on the entire debt... or at least enough of a defence to encourage them to accept your offer without a judgment.... will know once we have a bit more info.