When should SaaS companies consider small claims court?

Consider court when subscription arrears or project disputes are between £200 and £10,000, you have documentation like contracts, SLAs, invoices, and usage logs, and the customer is a UK entity.

Can I claim for subscription arrears if the customer claims they cancelled?

Yes, if cancellation was not made according to your terms. Evidence of clear cancellation procedures in your terms, lack of valid cancellation notice, and continued service access are key.

What about SLA disputes and claimed downtime?

Uptime monitoring data and SLA terms are essential evidence. If actual downtime was within SLA limits, the customer has no grounds for service credits or refund. Document all incidents and credit calculations.

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SaaS & IT Services: Managing Non-Payment and Contract Breaches

No solicitors needed. Step-by-step guidance to recover what you're owed through UK small claims court. Built for SaaS providers, web hosts, IT support companies, and dev agencies.

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Claims £200 - £10,000England & WalesNo solicitor required

Common SaaS & IT Services We Help With

From unpaid work to unfair complaints, our guides cover the disputes you face.

Non-Payment

Subscription Arrears

Customer stopped paying subscription but continues using service or owes outstanding balance.

Service Disputes

SLA/Downtime Disputes

Customer claims service credits or refunds based on uptime issues.

"Platform Didn't Work" Claims

Customer refuses to pay claiming software or services didn't meet requirements.

Project Disputes

Development Scope Disputes

Client disputes final invoice claiming scope wasn't met or changed.

Floats & Credits

Ad-Spend Floats & Credits

Recovering advertising spend floats or service credits clients owe.

Prepaid Credits Not Repaid

Client used credits or services you fronted and hasn't reimbursed.

When to Consider Small Claims Court

Most disputes start as complaints or negotiations. Here's when it makes sense to consider court action.

Consider Court Action When:

The amount is £200 - £10,000 — below the small claims track limit
You have documentation — contracts, SLAs, invoices, usage logs, email correspondence
The customer is in England or Wales — registered business address or UK entity

Quick Checklist Before Filing

Customer based in England/Wales

Claim value under £10,000

Sent formal invoice/reminder

Ready to send Letter Before Action

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How CourtPilot Helps You

From documentation to court-ready documents in three steps.

Upload Your Dispute

Order confirmations, tracking data, messages, emails - upload everything and we extract the key facts.

AI Builds Your Case

Automatic Letter Before Action generation, particulars of claim drafting, and deadline tracking.

Court-Ready Documents

CPR-compliant bundles, indexed evidence, and witness statement templates ready for small claims court.

Evidence analysis for tech disputes

Letters Before Action for B2B arrears

Court bundle with contracts and logs

AI-powered deadline tracking

Real Disputes, Real Outcomes

Examples of how others have recovered money through small claims court and pre-court negotiation.

£3,600

Hosting: £3,600 Annual Invoice Unpaid

Scenario: Annual hosting invoice went unpaid. Customer claimed "budget issues" but continued using service.

Evidence: Service agreement, invoice, access logs showing continued use, payment reminders.

Outcome: Service suspended. Letter Before Action sent. Full payment received within 21 days.

£2,400

SaaS: Customer Claims Downtime, Won't Pay

Scenario: Customer withheld quarterly payment claiming SLA breach. Actual downtime was within SLA.

Evidence: Uptime monitoring data, SLA terms, incident reports, credit calculations.

Outcome: Court found downtime within SLA limits. Full invoice amount awarded.

£8,500

Dev Shop: MVP Delivered, Scope Dispute

Scenario: Built MVP as specified. Client claimed features were "missing" that were never in scope.

Evidence: Signed scope document, change request log, demo recordings, approval emails.

Outcome: Mediation resulted in 85% payment. Client accepted scope was delivered.

£4,800

MSP: Support Contract Withheld

Scenario: Managed services client stopped paying citing "poor response times".

Evidence: Ticket response times, SLA requirements, monthly reports, client sign-offs.

Outcome: Evidence showed all SLAs met. Default judgment obtained for full amount.

£6,200

Agency: Google Ads Float Not Repaid

Scenario: Agency fronted ad spend. Client terminated contract without repaying media costs.

Evidence: Contract with float terms, Google Ads invoices, spend reports, termination notice.

Outcome: Letter Before Action to directors personally. Full float recovered plus interest.

£50

When NOT to Claim: Informal Notice, Small Amount

Scenario: Monthly SaaS subscription. Customer cancelled via casual email, disputing final month.

Evidence: Email cancellation. Terms unclear on notice period.

Advice: Advised NOT to pursue. Court fee exceeds amount. Update terms and enforce for future.

These examples illustrate typical dispute scenarios. Every case is different and outcomes depend on evidence and circumstances.

Built for UK Small Claims

England & Wales Specific

Guidance tailored to UK small claims court procedures and rules.

CPR-Aligned Documents

Letters and bundles formatted to Civil Procedure Rules standards.

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Information Only - Not Legal Advice

CourtPilot provides tools and guidance to help you prepare your own small claims case. We are not a law firm and cannot give legal advice. For complex matters or if you are uncertain about your rights, please consult a qualified solicitor.

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Whether it's subscription arrears, disputed development work, or unreturned floats, CourtPilot gives you the tools to recover what you're owed through UK small claims court.

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