Money Claim Online (MCOL)Money Claim Online (MCOL)with a clear filewith a clear file

Understand where Money Claim Online fits the broader landlord money claim route before you move into filing and pack generation.

View money claim guide

Compare MCOL with N1

Letter Before Action + Particulars + interest calc + filing guide (MCOL-ready)

Trusted by UK landlords

Laptop preview of generated landlord legal documents

Start here if you need the main guide on this issue. If your situation is narrower or you want the next practical step, go to letter before action for rent arrears.

If you want the wider background first, read landlord money claim guide.

Ready to act? The quickest route from here is money claim pack for unpaid rent.

Built for MCOL success

Your claim reads clearly: who owes what, why, and how it’s calculated.

Process-first, not template-first

We align letter, particulars, interest, and filing steps so your story matches from start to finish.

Preview before paying

Check everything, then purchase. Unlimited regenerations as your case changes.

What is Money Claim Online (MCOL)?

MCOL is the government's online system for issuing county court money claims in England and Wales, used by landlords to recover unpaid rent, damages, and other tenancy debts.

Before you file: send a compliant Letter Before Action and allow time to respond. Skipping pre-action steps is a common cause of delay and dispute.

Faster issuing

Online submission can be issued quickly compared to paper routes.

Clear costs

Fees depend on claim value and are usually recoverable as part of the claim.

MCOL in 5 steps

A simple flow you can follow confidently.

1
Send Letter Before Action
Set out the debt and deadline clearly. Keep proof of delivery.
2
Prepare your figures
Build a rent schedule, reconcile payments, and calculate interest.
3
Write strong particulars
Explain the legal basis and the timeline in plain, structured language.
4
Submit via MCOL
Enter the claim, pay the fee, and check your details before confirming.
5
Judgment or defended claim
If no response, request default judgment. If defended, rely on your evidence bundle.

Prepare my claim pack View what's included

MCOL court fees (2026)

Fees depend on your claim value. You can usually add court fees to the amount claimed.

Claim amount	MCOL fee
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 – £100,000	5% of claim

Fees shown reflect the page table and may change. Additional fees can apply if a case moves to a hearing or enforcement.

What your Money Claim Pack includes

Everything you need to move from "tenant owes money" to a cleaner MCOL submission.

Letter Before Action

Pre-action compliant template tailored to your facts, ready to send.

Particulars of Claim

Structured wording you can paste into MCOL with a clear legal basis.

Interest calculation

Auto-calculated interest output you can include in your claim totals.

Step-by-step filing guide

What to enter, what to keep, what happens next — and enforcement options.

Prepare my claim - £29.99

Court fees are extra (paid directly to MCOL). You can usually claim them back.

You may also need: If the tenant is still in the property, start eviction with our complete eviction pack.

Money Claim Online FAQs for landlords

Money Claim Online is the government's online system for making civil money claims up to £100,000 in England and Wales. It lets landlords issue a claim without attending court at the start.

MCOL court fees depend on your claim amount: up to £300 costs £35, £300.01-£500 costs £50, £500.01-£1,000 costs £70, £1,000.01-£1,500 costs £80, £1,500.01-£3,000 costs £115, £3,000.01-£5,000 costs £205, £5,000.01-£10,000 costs £455. Higher amounts are a percentage of the claim.

After submission, the defendant usually has 14 days to respond (sometimes longer if they acknowledge). If they don't respond, you can request default judgment. Defended claims take longer and may go to a hearing.

Not always. If the defendant doesn't respond or admits the claim, you can get judgment without a hearing. If they defend, a hearing is likely.

Yes. You can usually claim statutory interest (commonly 8% per year) where appropriate. You’ll need to calculate it accurately for your claim.

You don't upload documents at the point of filing, but you must have your figures, particulars, and evidence ready in case the claim is defended. Typical evidence includes the tenancy agreement, a rent schedule/ledger, and correspondence.

You must provide a valid address for service. If you are unsure, you may need to trace the defendant first.

If they do not respond in time, you can request default judgment through MCOL. This gives you a judgment you can then enforce.

Yes, MCOL can handle claims up to £100,000. Claims over £10,000 are typically not small claims and may have different procedural expectations.

MCOL is online and usually faster. The N1 is a paper/standard claim form route often used when MCOL isn’t suitable. Both can start a county court money claim.

Clear and indexed. Include the agreement, a full rent schedule, key correspondence, and a simple chronology. Quality paperwork reduces disputes and delay.

Reconcile your numbers line by line and keep a neutral timeline with supporting documents. If the claim is defended, documentary clarity matters.