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Small Claims Tribunal · Filing Support Consultant

Owed money? You don't need a collection agency.File at the Small Claims Tribunal.

Being owed money doesn't have to mean hiring a collection agency. If the amount is HK$75,000 or less, you can bring the claim yourself at the Small Claims Tribunal — and from the forms and the evidence to the day of the hearing, we're beside you the whole way.

1,000+ enquiries handled★★★★★ Client reviewsFrom HK$499

*Statistics based on past cases. Individual results vary and do not guarantee outcomes.Last updated

Professional filing support consultant
Up to HK$75,000All 8 common dispute types
1,000+enquiries handled
HK$75,000Max recoverable amount
HK$499from — transparent pricing
★★★★★Client reviews

*Statistics and reviews based on past service records. Individual results vary.

Key facts

What to know before you start

HK$20-120
The court statutory filing fee - not our charge; banded by claim size
41 days
Average wait to a first hearing in 2024 (Judiciary target: 60)
No lawyers
Neither side may be represented by a lawyer at the hearing
Lawyers may not represent either side at the Tribunal — the other side included.
From the forms and evidence to a mock hearing, we prepare you the whole way.
Service & Pricing

From assessment to judgment — one team beside you

No legal background needed. Three stages, and a consultant walks every step with you.

  1. 01

    Free Consultation & Assessment

    Free

    WhatsApp us your situation. We assess feasibility and direction — completely free, no commitment required.

  2. 02

    Document Preparation & Filing

    We help organise evidence and complete claim forms, ensuring accuracy and minimising errors.

  3. 03

    Hearing Prep & Mock Q&A

    We break down procedures, coach your responses, and help you go into the hearing prepared and confident.

Service fee

HK$499from

  • Official filing fee HK$20–120 is paid separately to the Tribunal
  • Transparent pricing — no hidden fees
  • Clear written quote after your free assessment
Why EasyDebt

Full support vs. a DIY form tool

Self-service platforms just generate forms — the rest is on you. We walk the whole journey with you.

DIY form platform

EasyDebt full support

Service modelGenerates forms; you handle the rest
Real consultant, with you from assessment to hearing
EvidenceYou decide what matters
We help organise and review your evidence chain
Claim formFill in a template yourself
We help draft each point, reducing errors
Hearing prepFigure it out alone
Mock Q&A and a procedure walk-through
Risk of mistakesHigher (details, service errors)
Someone checks every step
PricingPlatform / form fees
From HK$499, transparent, zero hidden fees
Real Cases

Success Cases

Filter by dispute type to find cases similar to your situation.

View all cases →
Case Types

What types of recovery do we support?

Choose the situation closest to yours, answer one quick question, and get a practical route, next steps, and evidence checklist.

Read a case guide directly: Upstairs Water Leak ClaimUnpaid Loan RecoveryDeposit RecoveryRent Arrears RecoveryService Fee RecoveryRenovation Dispute RecoveryEstate Agent Commission DisputeGoods Payment DisputeUse case · Beauty salon disputes

Choosing a route

Collection agency, or the Small Claims Tribunal?

A collection agency and the Small Claims Tribunal are not two grades of the same thing. One is commercial chasing; the other is a court process. The table below sets them side by side on a HK$30,000 claim.

HK$30,000

Collection agency

HK$4,500–15,000

Usually a commission on what is recovered (published market range 15–50%)

Assuming full recovery, you keepHK$15,000–25,500

Small Claims Tribunal

Filing fee HK$70 service from HK$499

Filing-fee tierHK$70
  1. ≤5,000HK$20
  2. ≤25,000HK$40
  3. ≤50,000HK$70
  4. ≤75,000HK$120
Assuming full recovery, you keepHK$29,431
Cost difference up toHK$14,431

Illustrative calculation: assumes full recovery; service fee calculated at HK$499; the actual quote depends on the case.

How you pay
Collection agencyUsually a commission on what is recovered (published market range 15–50%)
Small Claims TribunalStatutory filing fee HK$20–120, banded by claim amount
Claim ceiling
Collection agencyNone
Small Claims TribunalHK$75,000
View the full comparison table
What recovering HK$30,000 actually costs — Collection agency / Small Claims Tribunal
Collection agencySmall Claims Tribunal
What recovering HK$30,000 actually costsHK$4,500–15,000 (commission 15–50%)Filing fee HK$70, service from HK$499
How you payUsually a commission on what is recovered (published market range 15–50%)Statutory filing fee HK$20–120, banded by claim amount
Judicial powerNoneYes — a judgment can be enforced
Claim ceilingNoneHK$75,000
Can seize propertyNoYes, by applying for a writ through the bailiff
Attend a hearingNoYes — and lawyers may not represent you
If the debtor denies itCan only keep chasingAn adjudicator decides after a hearing

The Tribunal hears money claims of HK$75,000 or less. It does not hear employment disputes, claims to recover possession of land, maintenance or defamation.

The commission range is published information from Debt Hunter and LiKoo Enterprise Management, not official data; Hong Kong publishes no standard fee scale for collection agencies.

Hong Kong Judiciary

Official Data

Small Claims Tribunal
the 2024 numbers

57,454 claims were filed at the Hong Kong Small Claims Tribunal in 2024; over the past five years the annual figure has ranged from roughly 40,000 to 57,000. Every number below is taken from the Judiciary's own annual reports — none of it is estimated.

Claims filed in 2024: 57,454 — the highest since 2020
Average wait from filing to first hearing: 41 days (Judiciary target: 60)
Money claims of ≤HK$75,000 (employment, land possession, maintenance and defamation excluded)
FAQ

Eight questions people ask before they file

Every answer below comes from Hong Kong legislation, the Judiciary's published material, or our own service terms. Filter by topic and open the one you need.

Sources checked:

Is EasyDebt a law firm or legal services provider?

Is EasyDebt a law firm or legal services provider?

No. We provide procedural guidance, document organisation, and form-filling assistance — not legal advice or legal representation. For legal advice, please consult a licensed solicitor.

Is debt chasing legal? What may a collection agency not do?

Recovering money you are genuinely owed is lawful; the question is method. Hong Kong has no dedicated licensing regime for collection agencies — in a 2016 reply to the Legislative Council the Government expressly declined to create one. That is not the same as no law. Section 24 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200) makes intimidation an offence carrying up to 5 years; section 60 covers criminal damage such as thrown paint or a glued lock, up to 10 years; section 23 of the Theft Ordinance (Cap. 210) makes blackmail punishable by up to 14 years. The Investor and Financial Education Council states that an agency must not pursue anyone other than the debtor or the guarantor, must not humiliate or harass, and must not use violence or physical intimidation. If you are harassed, report it to the Anti-Deception Coordination Centre on 18222.

From filing to enforcement, what does it all cost?

The filing fee is banded by claim amount (below). The other statutory fees: an inter-party summons HK$55 each, a witness summons HK$33 each, an application for review, for leave to appeal or to set aside an award HK$61 each, filing a writ of execution HK$55, and a bailiff possession fee of HK$83 per day. Bailiff transport and delivery are charged at actual expense plus a 20% administration fee, so there is no fixed figure. All of that is paid to the Tribunal. Our own service is separate — from HK$499, with a written quote after your free assessment.

Claim amountFiling fee (HK$)
Up to $5,00020
$5,000–$25,00040
$25,000–$50,00070
$50,000–$75,000120

What is the maximum claim amount?

The Small Claims Tribunal handles money disputes up to HK$75,000. If your claim exceeds this, other legal avenues would need to be considered.

What are Form 1 and Form 2, and how do you file them?

Form 1 is the heading page: the full names and Hong Kong addresses of the claimant and the defendant — the Tribunal accepts neither a PO box nor a care-of address. If the defendant is a limited company, run a Companies Registry search first. Form 2 is the substance: the amount claimed, the grounds, and the breakdown showing how each item is calculated, so separate principal, interest and actual loss and show the arithmetic. Both forms must be filed in person at the registry; post, fax and email are not accepted, though a representative may file for you. The registry then issues Form 3, the notice of the date and place of the hearing.

Do I need to attend the hearing myself?

Yes. The Small Claims Tribunal does not allow lawyers to represent parties. We will fully prepare you before the hearing — walking through procedures and coaching your responses — so you're ready to speak confidently.

How long does the whole process take?

From filing to adjudication typically takes 2–4 months, depending on case complexity and Tribunal scheduling. We follow up throughout to ensure you don't miss any important deadlines.

You have won — how do you actually get paid?

The Tribunal will not enforce the judgment for you. You apply to the Bailiff's Office for a writ of fieri facias, at HK$55 to file plus a deposit. The bailiff seizes the debtor's goods; the debtor has a 5-working-day grace period to settle, after which the goods are auctioned and the balance, after necessary court fees, is paid over to you. Note that a bailiff has no power to force entry into residential premises. If you disagree with the outcome you have 7 days: Form 8C applies to the Tribunal for a review, Form 9 applies to the Court of First Instance for leave to appeal — and leave is granted only on a point of law.

Client Review
"The consultant helped me organise all my documents and prepare throughout. In the end I successfully recovered my money. The whole process was much easier than I expected."
Mr Chan

Mr Chan

Service fee recovery case

Illustrative scenario, not a record of an actual client

1,000+enquiries handled
HK$499from — transparent pricing
Up to HK$75,000All 8 common dispute types
0Hidden fees

*Statistics based on past cases. Individual results vary and do not guarantee outcomes.

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Recover debts ≤HK$75,000 · From HK$499 · Free initial assessment