18 August 2026
What a letter before action actually does
One letter settles more disputes than any hearing. Here is what goes into it, what it is for, and why a good one is short.
Before a claim is issued, the other side gets a letter setting out what happened, what you want and what happens if they ignore it. It is the cheapest step in any dispute and often the last one needed.
It fixes the story
Once the facts are in writing, the other side has to answer them. Silence and vague replies start to count against them.
It starts the clock
Courts expect both sides to have tried to resolve things first. The letter shows you did, and sets a deadline the other side cannot pretend they missed.
It is short on purpose
A good letter is two pages, not ten. It says what you want, by when, and what it will cost them if they do not. Ours is drafted by the partner, not a template.
Notes from the partners
More from the partners
Short notes on what a dispute actually involves, written for the people in them.
