Short answer: In housing disrepair (HDR) claims, you recover standard-basis costs by (1) securing entitlement in an order or via CPR 46.14 costs-only, (2) serving N252 with a persuasive Bill / electronic bill (Precedent S), (3) running a tight negotiation cadence (with Part 36 leverage), and (4) listing for detailed assessment (DA) if needed. Do this well and cash lands sooner—with fewer “global” cuts.
We’re drafting-only, B2B support for solicitors. Standard-basis (non-FRC) only. No advocacy. No lay clients.
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• Entitlement: capture “who pays costs” in a sealed order. If damages are settled but there’s no costs order, issue CPR 46.14 (costs-only) to get one.
• Commence DA: serve N252 + Bill/e-Bill (Precedent S) + exhibits.
• Negotiate: particularised Replies to PoDs, then step your offers; time Part 36 for maximum leverage.
• If stalemate: request detailed assessment and arrive with a DA-ready bundle.
Primary SEO terms used here: housing disrepair costs, standard basis, detailed assessment, electronic bill.
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Goal: an enforceable obligation to pay standard-basis costs.
• Best route: write it into the consent order/Tomlin:
“The Defendant shall pay the Claimant’s costs of the claim, on the standard basis, to be the subject of detailed assessment if not agreed.”
• If you’ve already settled damages with no costs clause, use CPR 46.14 costs-only (Part 8) to obtain a costs order quickly. Keep the claim narrow and exhibit settlement correspondence.
Why it matters: without entitlement, a paying party can stonewall your N252. Getting the order first protects timetable and interest.
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Serve the Notice of Commencement (N252) with a complete set so the other side has no excuse to delay:
• Bill of Costs / Electronic Bill (Precedent S) — multi-track HDR is typically e-bill territory; even where exempt, an e-bill still settles faster.
• Disbursement proofs — surveyor fee notes (including aborted attends), counsel notes, court/process-server receipts, travel/time evidence.
• Costs entitlement order — the sealed order (or 46.14 order).
• Chronology + offers schedule — clean timeline and ADR record (post-Churchill).
• Client VAT status — avoid skirmishes and re-maths.
• Contact & payment details — shorten the gap between agreement and funds received.
Diary: 21 days for Points of Dispute (PoDs). If none arrive, consider a Default Costs Certificate.
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In HDR, electronic bills pay off because they force structure and expose miscoding quickly. Focus on:
• Phase-linked narratives proving necessity and proportionality (e.g., vulnerability/access issues, repeated inspections, disclosure gaps).
• Clean phase coding (don’t bury document time; map inspection/surveyor loops to the right phases).
• No merits padding — stick to costs of the action; explain work that looks “admin” but was procedurally required.
• Disbursement clarity — evidence counsel/expert spend; justify late vacation fees or re-inspection with a line or two of context.
• Maths/VAT integrity — arithmetic slips invite percentage cuts.
HDR specifics to narrate: damp & mould complexity, access refusals, vulnerable tenants, ADR invitations/responses, landlord conduct causing duplication. These justify time and help at detailed assessment.
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Replies to Points of Dispute should be short, particularised and aimed at moving numbers, not just “put to proof”.
Cadence that works:
1. Counter the PoDs with targeted concessions (by phase, not a round number).
2. Without-prejudice call to reality-check deltas; follow with a crisp written note.
3. Part 36 when your paper position is strongest (e.g., after robust Replies or just before you request DA).
4. Settlement wording to capture sum, payment date, interest, and costs of the DA stage.
Levers that convert:
• Proportionality framed to issues actually faced in HDR (access, vulnerability, surveyor cycles, uncooperative landlord).
• Proofed disbursements (attach; don’t paraphrase).
• Conduct points (ADR post-Churchill, late capitulations) to justify stance and, rarely, indemnity.
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If you can’t bridge the gap:
• File the request for detailed assessment and serve your DA bundle: bill/e-bill, PoDs, Replies, offers & interest maths, sealed costs order.
• Keep a settlement figure ready for the corridor; if you agree, record it with clear consent order wording (and who pays DA costs).
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• No costs order → paying party contests commencement.
• Late or thin N252 pack → deadline drift, leverage loss.
• Generic narratives → “global” reductions.
• e-Bill miscoding → time disappears into the wrong phase.
• Unproven disbursements → counsel/surveyors cut down.
• Arithmetic/VAT errors → confidence drops, cuts rise.
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• ☐ Sealed costs order (or issued 46.14 claim).
• ☐ N252 served with e-bill + exhibits.
• ☐ 21-day PoDs diary date set; DCC plan if none.
• ☐ Replies drafted; offers schedule prepared.
• ☐ Part 36 timed to bite; interest calculated.
• ☐ DA request ready; corridor number agreed internally.
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We’ll draft the bill/e-bill and run negotiations to settlement on one HDR file at no cost.
Standard-basis only. No advocacy. No lay clients.