You bought something faulty. You paid for a service that wasn’t delivered. Your bag was damaged on a flight. The other party refuses to make it right. For amounts up to €2,000, the Small Claims Procedure offers an accessible, low-cost way to pursue your claim — without needing a solicitor.

What types of claims can you make?

The Small Claims Procedure covers a defined list of consumer-style disputes:

• Faulty goods or poor services bought from a business
• Minor damage to property (excluding most road traffic damage)
• Non-return of rental deposits (for short-term holiday lettings, not residential tenancy deposits which go to the RTB)
• Small claims for unpaid contract amounts (where the claimant is a business pursuing a consumer, or vice versa, depending on the procedure used)

The procedure does not cover:

• Personal injury claims
• Hire purchase or credit agreement disputes
• Family law matters
• Tenancy disputes (these go to the RTB)
• Most claims involving business-to-business disputes (unless using the EU Small Claims Procedure)

The €2,000 limit

The maximum claim amount under the Irish Small Claims Procedure is €2,000. If your claim is larger than this, you have three options:

1. Reduce your claim to €2,000 to use the Small Claims procedure (giving up the rest)
2. Use the regular District Court procedure (covers claims up to €15,000 — but more complex and may need legal help)
3. Use the Circuit Court for claims €15,001 – €75,000

How to apply

Applying for a Small Claim involves:

1. Try to resolve directly first. Write a final letter to the other party demanding the remedy (refund, repair, compensation) with a clear deadline. The court expects you to have attempted resolution.
2. Lodge the application with the Small Claims Registrar at your local District Court office, OR online via the Courts Service portal.
3. Pay the €25 application fee.
4. The Registrar contacts the respondent (the person or business you’re claiming against) and tries to negotiate a settlement.

Stage 1: Mediation

The Small Claims Registrar acts as an informal mediator. They contact the respondent, share your claim, and attempt to broker a settlement. This often produces a result without needing a court hearing.

Common outcomes at this stage:

• The respondent agrees to pay, repair, or replace
• The respondent disputes the claim, and the matter goes to a hearing
• The respondent ignores the Registrar — leading to a default judgment in your favour

The Registrar’s role is informal — they don’t make legal decisions. If mediation fails, the case progresses to a court hearing.

Stage 2: District Court hearing

If the matter doesn’t resolve through mediation, the Registrar lists the case before the District Court. You’ll be given a date, usually within 6-12 weeks of your initial application.

At the hearing:

• Both parties present their case
• You don’t need a solicitor (though you can have one if you wish)
• The hearing is informal — no formal evidence rules apply
• You should bring all documentation: receipts, photographs, written communications, witness statements
• The judge makes a decision on the day in most cases

If you win

The court will issue an order specifying what the respondent must do — typically pay you a specified amount within a defined period (often 14-28 days).

If the respondent doesn’t comply, you can enforce the order:

• Sheriff’s office: The sheriff can seize goods to satisfy the judgment
• Bank account attachment: The court can order that money be taken from the respondent’s bank account
• Examination order: The respondent can be required to attend court and disclose their financial position

Enforcement involves additional fees and time, but most respondents comply once an order is made.

If you lose

If the court finds against you, you’ve lost your €25 application fee. Costs are generally not awarded against you in the Small Claims Procedure — this is part of the protection that makes the procedure accessible.

You can appeal a decision to the Circuit Court within 14 days, but appeals are rare and typically only worthwhile for significant legal issues.

The EU Small Claims Procedure

For cross-border consumer disputes within the EU up to €5,000, there’s a separate EU Small Claims Procedure under Regulation (EC) No 861/2007. This works similarly to the Irish procedure but allows you to sue a business based in another EU member state. Forms are available from the European e-Justice Portal.

Final thoughts

The Small Claims Procedure is one of the best examples of accessible justice in Irish law. For €25 and a bit of paperwork, you can pursue consumer claims that would otherwise be uneconomical to litigate. Most cases settle through mediation; the District Court hearing is informal and you don’t need a solicitor. If you have a genuine claim up to €2,000 that the other side refuses to settle, the procedure is well worth using.