Description
The Claimant, who was a litigant in person applied for costs against her landlord in respect of her time preparing an appeal against an award of damages for breach of a repairing covenant. The Claimant had sought costs of over £15,000 for her time and disbursements. The Court held the amount of costs claimed was unjustifiable and disproportionate. Considerations of fairness and proportionality in CPR r44.3 required that the she should only be compensated for the part of her effort referable to the two short issues on which she had succeeded. Claims for corresponding with and attending on her barrister, her former solicitors, an interpreter and an advice bureaux, travelling to libraries, travel and attendance at the appeal hearing were rejected.
