As always, the information provided is the result of the experiences of defendants who have been in dispute. It is NOT intended to replace professional legal advice and you should always see a solicitor about any claim against you. Remember to take the skeleton argument (in the Court Bundle section) with you.
So, you’ve received a summons, sent back an Acknowledgement of Service, and then returned your defence to the court. The court will now send you an Allocation Questionnaire (AQ) – you have 14 days to complete this and send it back to the court. The Claimant will also receive an AQ to complete and they will also have to pay the filing fee for the AQ too.
The AQ is used by the court to determine which track your case will follow – small claims (usually anything less than £5k), fast track or multi track. Until the AQs have been returned to court and the court have formally tracked the case your case will be classed as untracked. So, up until this point you can still consider a Part 18 Request (see seperate notes).
Look at the front page of the AQ, in the very bottom left corner – you will find a form number along the lines of N149, N150 etc.
Below are suggestions for completing the AQ. As always, this is no substitute for legal advice and you should always get independent advice when dealing with legal proceedings.
Return the form to the court within the 14 days – always get proof of postage.
