Money Claim Online for landlords: claiming unpaid rent
If a former tenant owes you rent or damage costs, you can claim it through the county court online. It's cheap to start; the hard part is collecting if the tenant can't pay.
Information, not legal advice. We don't bring money claims. If we introduce you to a solicitor, tracing agent or enforcement firm we may receive a referral fee and will tell you first (how we make money).
Before you claim
- Check you don't already have a judgment. If the possession order included a money judgment for arrears, enforce that instead.
- Use the deposit first through the scheme's end-of-tenancy process.
- Get a current address. You need an address in England or Wales for the tenant to claim online.
- Send a letter before claim with the amount, how it's made up, and a deadline to pay or reply.
- Time limit: rent claims must be brought within 6 years of each payment falling due.
Money Claim Online fees
| up to £300 | £35 |
| £300.01-£500 | £50 |
| £500.01-£1,000 | £70 |
| £1,000.01-£1,500 | £80 |
| £1,500.01-£3,000 | £115 |
| £3,000.01-£5,000 | £205 |
| £5,000.01-£10,000 | £455 |
| £10,000.01-£200,000 (5% of claim) | 5% of the claim |
| over £200,000 or unlimited | £10,000 |
| Small claims claim up to £300 | £27 |
| Small claims £300.01-£500 | £59 |
| Small claims £500.01-£1,000 | £85 |
| Small claims £1,000.01-£1,500 | £123 |
| Small claims £1,500.01-£3,000 | £181 |
| Small claims over £3,000 | £346 |
| Fast track | £619 |
| Intermediate / multi-track | £1,334 |
EX50 civil court fees; money claim and hearing fees were not changed in the July 2026 uprating. You can usually add fees and interest (commonly 8% a year simple on non-business debts) to the claim.
When you can't use the online service
Use the paper form N1 if you don't know the exact amount, you're claiming for more than one person, you're claiming against 3 or more people, either side has no address in England or Wales, or you're applying for help with fees by post. You can't claim against someone in a Breathing Space debt moratorium.
What happens after you claim
- The court serves the claim. The tenant can pay, admit, or defend.
- If they don't respond in time, request judgment in default.
- If they defend, the claim is usually allocated to the small claims track (up to £10,000) and may be referred to mediation first.
- After judgment, if they don't pay, you choose an enforcement method.
What the national figures show
In 2025 there were 1,639,830 money claims in England and Wales and 1,118,041 default judgments (68%), but only 134,222 warrants of control, 7,770 attachment of earnings orders and 23,106 charging orders. Most judgments are never actively enforced – check whether your tenant can pay before spending more.
MoJ Civil Justice Statistics Quarterly (all creditors, not just landlords).
Common questions
What is Money Claim Online?
The GOV.UK service for making a county court claim for a fixed sum of money. Landlords use it to claim unpaid rent or damage costs from a former tenant. The paper equivalent is form N1.
How much does Money Claim Online cost?
The issue fee depends on the amount claimed, from £35 (up to £300) to £455 (£5,000.01–£10,000), then 5% of the claim up to £200,000. If the claim is defended there may also be a hearing fee.
How long does Money Claim Online take?
If the tenant doesn’t respond, you can usually request judgment in default within weeks. If they defend, the claim goes to a hearing; small claims took a median of about 37.8 weeks from issue to hearing at the middle court in Q2 2026.
What is form N1 used for?
N1 is the paper claim form for money claims. Use it if you can’t claim online – for example you don’t know the exact amount, you claim against 3 or more people, or you are applying for help with fees by post.
Does Money Claim Online work against a tenant with no money?
It gets you a judgment (a CCJ), which is recorded on the register for 6 years unless paid within a month. Getting paid depends on the tenant having income or assets – see enforcing a CCJ.
Related guides
Is it worth pursuing?Enforce a CCJ →
Bailiffs, earnings, charging orders.Small claims track →
Hearings and waits by court.Tenant still in the property? →
Possession and arrears together.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Make a court claim for money
- GOV.UK: Court claim for money – court fees
- GOV.UK: Civil court fees (EX50), updated 13 July 2026
- legislation.gov.uk: Limitation Act 1980, section 19 (rent arrears)
- GOV.UK: County court judgments and your credit rating
- MoJ: Civil Justice Statistics Quarterly, April to June 2026
Last checked 28 Sep 2026. Figures and fees change; check the official source before you act.