We have made three possession claims against one of our tenants.
We won the third claim, but lost the first two and have been asked to pay solicitors costs.
The costs are very high and will cost us a fortune. We have also been charged for not attending a hearing which we are unaware of. The first hearing we didn't attend, I called the court and asked them if we could cancel it and the person I spoke to said no and that it was too late.
The second hearing is apparently a continuation of the first hearing. I find this strange because usually when we don't attend the first hearing, we are told we wont get possession and it doesn't go any further.
Are there any ways we can not pay these costs or find a reason to pay less that the solicitors will agree to? I have already explained to them that we are a very small landlord company and that we may go out of business after having to pay these costs but they are still saying we have to pay them the full amount.
Seeing as we won in the end by getting the tenant out, can that give us a good reason in court not to pay? or is that not possible as it I a different claim?
We won the third claim, but lost the first two and have been asked to pay solicitors costs.
The costs are very high and will cost us a fortune. We have also been charged for not attending a hearing which we are unaware of. The first hearing we didn't attend, I called the court and asked them if we could cancel it and the person I spoke to said no and that it was too late.
The second hearing is apparently a continuation of the first hearing. I find this strange because usually when we don't attend the first hearing, we are told we wont get possession and it doesn't go any further.
Are there any ways we can not pay these costs or find a reason to pay less that the solicitors will agree to? I have already explained to them that we are a very small landlord company and that we may go out of business after having to pay these costs but they are still saying we have to pay them the full amount.
Seeing as we won in the end by getting the tenant out, can that give us a good reason in court not to pay? or is that not possible as it I a different claim?