The monthly round-up of news, guidance, legislation, and case law from Shelter's Specialist Debt Advice Service.
News and legal updates
This month's legal round up includes information about increased court fees, updated DRO guidance for car valuations and power of attorney, and new FOS complaints guidance.
Ministry of Justice to increase court and tribunal fees
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has announced that it will increase court and tribunal fees from April 2025 by 3.2% to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index. Key fees for advisers to be aware of include:
application on notice where no other fee is specified / application to set aside a county court judgment – £313 (increased from £303)
application to withhold a client’s address from the Individual Insolvency Register - £318 (increased from £308)
An application to vary a judgment or order, suspend enforcement or suspend a warrant of possession or stay a High Court writ appears to be unchanged at £15.
Court and tribunal fees: updates from April 2025
The Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2025
Updated DRO Guidance for car valuations and power of attorney
The DRO Guidance now states that if a valuation is not available on Parkers, an approved intermediary can accept two valuations from independent and reputable sources.
The DRO Team has also expanded the guidance on power of attorney which explains the effect of a DRO on clients and attorneys.
DRO guidance: Power of Attorney
Updated standards for enforcement agents and firms
The Enforcement Conduct Board has updated its standards for enforcement agents and firms respectively (v.1.1). They now include guidance to help firms and agents better understand the behaviours the ECB expects to see.
New FOS guidance on making complaints
The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) has published guidance for advisers referring complaints to them for investigation. It includes a timeline of how to bring a complaint, and details of the Business Support Hub, which advisers can use to get information on how FOS might look at a particular complaint, or for guidance on their rules and how they work.
Financial Ombudsman Service award limits increased from 1 April 2025
The FCA Dispute Resolution Handbook confirms that the FOS award limits will increase to £200,000 for complaints referred on or after 1 April 2025, about acts or omissions that took place before 1 April 2019.
It will increase to £445,000 for complaints referred on or after 1 April 2025, about acts or omissions that took place on or after 1 April 2019.
Case law
Find debt case law summaries by topic on Shelter Legal.
Seculink Ltd v Forbes
The principal sum due under a secured debt is not a qualifying debt in a breathing space moratorium.