# UK small claims court - substituted service

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-small-claims-court-substituted-service/1015845>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 19, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-small-claims-court-substituted-service/1015845 "2025-03-19T23:21:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2025, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-small-claims-court-substituted-service/1015845/1 "2025-03-19T23:21:44Z")

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I’m involved in a minor dispute with a company which I intend to take to the small claims court. I’ve had several small claims before, so I know what to do.

There is, however one difference in this case.

The registered address of the company is in Ireland, and I’m in London. The company has a branch office just a few miles from me. I want to make an application for substituted service, and use the address of the local office.

What is the form I should fill in to make the application? And where can I download it?

I’ve seen online help describing to me what I should tell the court, the reasons I should give for the application, but I can’t find the form no to make the application.

The nature of the dispute, and the identity of the company isn’t relevant to the question.

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**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-small-claims-court-substituted-service/1015845/2 "2025-03-20T08:34:38Z")

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Is it this?

- N217 Order for service of claim form by an alternative method or at an alternative place

from

[here](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-procedure-rules-court-forms/list-of-civil-court-forms-arranged-by-subject-matter#service-of-claim-form)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2025, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-small-claims-court-substituted-service/1015845/3 "2025-03-20T13:19:40Z")

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No, that seems to be a form issued by the court if they agree to substituted service.

Thanks for the idea.