Whether you are chasing an unpaid deposit, a botched renovation job, or goods that were never delivered, the Small Claims Tribunal offers a genuinely accessible way to resolve disputes in Singapore without needing a lawyer. The process is entirely online, reasonably quick, and designed specifically for people representing themselves. This guide walks through exactly how to file a small claim, step by step.
What the Small Claims Tribunal Actually Handles
The Small Claims Tribunal, part of the State Courts, resolves specific types of lower-value disputes, most commonly disputes between consumers and suppliers over goods or services, and disputes arising from a residential tenancy agreement not exceeding two years. The claim limit is twenty thousand dollars, or thirty thousand dollars if both parties sign a Memorandum of Consent agreeing to raise the limit for that specific matter. Before filing, it is worth confirming your specific type of dispute genuinely falls within the Tribunal’s jurisdiction, since not every kind of claim is eligible, even if the amount involved is modest.
Step 1: Try to Resolve Things Directly First
Before involving the Tribunal at all, it is worth attempting to resolve the dispute directly with the other party, whether through a conversation or a written message clearly setting out what you believe you are owed and why. Many disputes genuinely resolve at this stage without needing to go further, and even where it does not resolve things, this step creates a useful record that can support your claim later if you do proceed to file.
Preparing Before You Even Start the Online Process
Before logging into CJTS at all, it genuinely helps to have your key facts organised: the exact amount you are claiming and how you calculated it, the date the dispute arose, the other party’s full name or business registration details, and a rough timeline of what happened. Having this ready before you begin the pre-filing assessment makes the entire online process considerably faster and reduces the chance of needing to stop partway through to track down a missing detail.
Step 2: Complete a Pre-Filing Assessment
All Small Claims Tribunal applications are filed through the Community Justice and Tribunals System, commonly known as CJTS. Before you can file your actual claim, you need to complete a pre-filing assessment, a short set of questions that determines whether your case is genuinely suitable for the Tribunal. This assessment also generates a pre-filing reference, which you will need when you move on to the actual claim form.
Step 3: Log In and Access the Claim Form
Log in to CJTS using Singpass if you are an individual, or Corppass if you are filing on behalf of a business. If you do not have either, you can apply for a CJTS Pass instead. Once logged in, navigate to the Online Applications section and select the Claim Form, then enter your pre-filing reference to retrieve your assessment details and begin the actual application.
Step 4: Complete the Claim Form Itself
The claim form is divided into several sections: your own particulars as the claimant, the respondent’s particulars, details of your claim, a brief summary of what happened, in your own words and within a set character limit, supporting documents, and the specific type of claim you are making. Take your time with the summary section in particular, since a clear, factual account of what happened, in chronological order, makes your claim considerably easier for everyone involved to follow.
Step 5: Upload Your Supporting Documents
Gather and upload your supporting evidence, such as the original contract or agreement, receipts and invoices, relevant correspondence with the other party, and photographs if your dispute involves damaged goods or property. Documents generally need to be uploaded in PDF format, within a specified file size limit, so it is worth preparing these in advance rather than trying to convert and compress files at the last moment while filing.
Step 6: Pay the Filing Fee
Your application is only processed once payment is made, so the final step of filing is paying the relevant fee, which scales modestly with the size of your claim. Once payment goes through, you will be asked to choose a date and time for your consultation session.
Step 7: Serve the Claim on the Respondent
After filing, you are responsible for serving a copy of the claim and the Notice of Consultation on the respondent, and this must be done within seven days of filing. Service can be carried out in a few different ways, including personal delivery, so it is worth planning this step immediately after filing rather than treating it as an afterthought, since a claim that is not properly served within the required timeframe can affect how your matter proceeds. Note that a claim cannot be served on someone outside Singapore.
Step 8: Consider Resolving Things Online Before Your Consultation
Before your scheduled consultation, you and the respondent may have the option to attempt resolution online through eNegotiation or eMediation on the CJTS platform. If you reach an agreement this way, you may not need to attend court at all, which can save both parties considerable time.
Step 9: Attend the Consultation
If the matter has not already settled, both parties attend a consultation session, sometimes described as a mediation session, before a court officer. This session is intended to help both sides reach an amicable resolution without a full hearing, and many disputes are genuinely resolved at exactly this stage.
Step 10: Attend the Hearing, If Necessary
If the consultation does not resolve the dispute, your matter proceeds to a hearing before a tribunal magistrate. Both parties present their case, and lawyers are not permitted to represent anyone at this stage, keeping the process accessible and relatively informal. Come prepared with your organised evidence and a clear, chronological account of events.
Step 11: Enforcement, If the Other Party Does Not Comply
If an order is made in your favour and the respondent still does not pay or comply voluntarily, you may need to take further steps to enforce the order, since winning at the Tribunal does not automatically guarantee payment. These enforcement steps are a further, separate process worth understanding if you anticipate the other party may be reluctant to comply even after losing.
What Happens If Your Claim Is Rejected at the Outset
If your application is not approved, for instance because it falls outside the Tribunal’s jurisdiction, you can appeal against the Order of the Registrar by e-filing, generally for a modest additional fee. This is a distinct, separate step from the main filing process itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I withdraw my claim after filing if the matter resolves before the consultation date?
Yes, provided the Tribunal has not yet issued an order, you can apply to withdraw your claim through CJTS, and this application is subject to the Tribunal’s approval before the claim is formally concluded.
What happens if I am the respondent and I do not attend the consultation or hearing?
If you are the respondent and fail to attend, the Tribunal may proceed to make a decision without you present, potentially resulting in an order being made against you in your absence.
Can a business file a small claim against another business, or is this only for individuals?
Yes, businesses can both file and be the subject of small claims, provided the dispute falls within the Tribunal’s jurisdiction, and business users log in using Corppass rather than Singpass.
Is there a time limit for how long after a dispute arises I can still file a small claim?
Yes, claims generally need to be filed within a set limitation period from when the dispute arose, so it is worth not delaying unnecessarily once you have decided to pursue a claim.
Can I file a small claim against someone who has since left Singapore?
This is considerably more difficult, since a claim generally cannot be served on someone outside Singapore, so if the other party has left the country, you may need to consider alternative legal avenues instead.
