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Paying Party Costs for Local Authorities & Housing Associations

Local authorities, housing associations and public bodies regularly face claimant costs claims that are disproportionate to the value or complexity of the underlying dispute. Housing disrepair, public liability and other recurring claims often generate detailed Bills of Costs that require careful scrutiny. Without an effective response, excessive costs may be agreed or allowed unnecessarily. SPH Costs acts for paying parties nationwide in reducing exposure through structured challenges, Points of Dispute, negotiation and detailed assessment strategy.

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We regularly draft Points of Dispute for local authorities defending bills of costs.

See: Draft Points of Dispute – Costs Draftsman Services - https://www.sphcosts.com/draft-points-of-dispute

Who We Act For:

We support:

  • Local Authorities

  • Housing Associations

  • Registered Providers

  • ALMOs

  • Public Bodies

  • Solicitors acting for institutional defendants

 
Common Costs Problems We Help Resolve
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  • Disproportionate costs in low or mid-value claims

  • Routine work claimed at senior fee earner rates

  • Duplication across repeat matters

  • Inflated hourly rates

  • Pressure to settle without proper scrutiny

  • Costs exceeding reserve expectations

  • Recurring over-claiming patterns from claimant firms

 
Without a structured approach, these issues can lead to consistent overpayment across multiple files.
 
Our Approach to Reducing Exposure:
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Early Case Review

We assess:
 

  • Value of the claim compared with costs claimed

  • Complexity of the matter

  • Procedural history

  • Prospects of meaningful reduction
     

Strategic Points of Dispute
We prepare focused objections designed to:​

Target the strongest reduction points

  • Align with CPR principles

  • Improve negotiation leverage

  • Strengthen assessment outcomes


Learn more about Challenging a Bill of Costs.
 
Negotiation & Settlement Strategy
 

Well-prepared challenges often lead to reduced settlements before contested hearings, limiting further spend.
 
Detailed Assessment Support
 

Where costs cannot be agreed, we assist through provisional and detailed assessment proceedings under CPR Part 47. Read more about detailed assessment disputes.
 
Key Areas of Challenge
 
Hourly Rates

  • Rates above guideline levels

  • Inappropriate fee earner grading

  • Insufficient evidence for enhanced rates

 
Proportionality
Costs may exceed what is reasonable when compared with:

  • Claim value

  • Complexity

  • Outcome achieved

 
Duplication & Inefficiency

  • Multiple fee earners undertaking the same work

  • Repeated review of routine documents

  • Excessive internal communications

 
Fixed Recoverable Costs / Scope
Where relevant, disputes may arise over whether fixed costs apply or whether work has been claimed outside scope.
Read our guide to Fixed Recoverable Costs.
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High-Volume Caseload Support
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We also assist organisations managing recurring housing disrepair and similar claims across multiple matters.
A consistent costs strategy can:

  • Reduce overall spend

  • Identify repeat claimant patterns

  • Improve settlement outcomes

  • Strengthen internal controls

 
Recent Examples of Work
£30,000 Saving Without Detailed Assessment
We were instructed by a Defendant in a public liability claim where the Claimant sought approximately £70,000 in costs following settlement of damages at just under £50,000.
Our review identified disproportionate overall costs, extensive Grade A fee earner time, duplication where Counsel had undertaken substantial core work, and weakly supported document time.
Using proportionality arguments, technical costs objections and strategic negotiation pressure, the matter settled for approximately £40,000.
Outcome:

  • Saving of around £30,000

  • Approximate reduction of 43%

  • Contribution secured towards our client’s own costs

  • Detailed assessment avoided

 
Housing Disrepair Claim Reduced from £15,500 to Approx. £150 Net


We acted for the paying party in a housing disrepair costs dispute where the claimant sought approximately £15,500.
The matter involved discontinued proceedings, reformulated claims and significant issues regarding the recoverability of pre-issue costs. We challenged:

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  • Recoverability of pre-issue costs

  • The effect of discontinuance on claimed costs

  • Proportionality of the bill

  • The claimant’s entitlement to assessment costs

 

The dispute proceeded through assessment proceedings, including correction of an adverse costs order. Outcome:

  • Original claim: approx. £15,500

  • Amount allowed before costs adjustments: approx. £3,600

  • Net recovery after correction of assessment costs: approx. £150

 

Housing disrepair costs disputes often turn on technical recoverability issues rather than the headline figure of the bill. Early specialist input can materially reduce exposure.
 
When to Instruct Us
 

Specialist input is particularly valuable where:

  • Costs appear disproportionate

  • Hourly rates are inflated

  • Multiple similar claims are being received

  • Detailed Points of Dispute are required

  • A hearing may be necessary

Early involvement often secures stronger reductions.
 
Need to Reduce Claimant Costs Exposure?
 
SPH Costs acts for local authorities, housing associations and public bodies in challenging excessive Claimant costs claims Nationwide.  Challenge a Bill of Costs Today

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