The claimants (garage) brought a claim for £12,000 for unpaid vehicle repairs / maintenance costs against the defendants (a coach company) who brought a counterclaim £23,500 for damages for defective workmanship.
The costs of the litigation were ridiculous and outweighed what both parties were claiming; neither party would back down, as they were both right! It was established through mediation that personal issues were really fuelling this dispute, the claimants had overcharged and taken longer than they should have, the counterclaim was inflated, although it did have substance and there had been some errors in repair the defendants had been less than charitable in their counter claim.
The personal issues were addressed, which posed some difficult questions and conversations, however once these issues were identified, and dealt with, negotiations got under way swiftly leading to a solution that both parties were agreeable to.
