When a Letter Before Action goes unanswered, a County Court claim is the next step — and for most debts that means Money Claim Online. Here is what it is and how to use it.
Money Claim Online (MCOL) is the government service for issuing County Court money claims. To use it you confirm the debt is ready to claim, prepare your claim details, register and file on MCOL with the court fee, then wait for the debtor's response. RobinReturn prepares the documents; you file the claim.
Filing is done by you on the government service — there is no third-party API. RobinReturn's job is to make the paperwork correct and the steps clear.
Confirm the debt is undisputed, that you have sent a Letter Before Action and its deadline has passed, and that you have the debtor's correct name and address and a clear breakdown of the amount, including any interest.
Set out who owes what and why — the sum, what it relates to, and any interest claimed. RobinReturn generates the Claim Form (N1) and Particulars of Claim from your case so the wording is consistent and complete.
Money Claim Online is the government service at the GOV.UK website for issuing many County Court money claims. You register, enter the claim and the defendant's details, and pay the court fee. RobinReturn guides you through it; there is no MCOL API, so you file the claim yourself.
Once issued, the debtor has a set period to respond — to pay, admit, defend or ignore. If they do not respond in time, you can ask the court to enter a default judgment.
MCOL is the UK government's online service for issuing and managing many County Court money claims, run through GOV.UK. It is the usual route for a straightforward claim to recover a debt.
No — there is no MCOL API, so the claim is filed by you. RobinReturn prepares the Claim Form and Particulars of Claim and guides you through the MCOL steps, but you submit the claim and pay the court fee yourself.
The HMCTS court fee scales with the amount you are claiming and is paid to the court, separately from RobinReturn's fees. It is itself recoverable from the debtor if your claim succeeds.
If the debtor does not respond within the time allowed, you can ask the court to enter a default judgment — a County Court Judgment made without a hearing.
RobinReturn prepares your Claim Form and Particulars and walks you through MCOL. It is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.