Motorists lose out on pothole cash - What to do if your claim fails

If your claim fails, there is still some action you can take. Read on to see what you can do.

• Follow up with a letter threatening action through the smalls claims court where you can claim up to £5000.

• If this letter fails, you may need to follow up on the threat and start proceedings. You don't need a lawyer to go through the small claims court, but you will need to pay a fee of up to £120 depending on the size of your claims. This will be paid back to you if you are successful.

• For detailed information on making a claim in the small claims court, click here.

• Finally, keep a record of all correspondence and, if you have made telephone calls, make sure you keep a note of the date, time, and to whom you spoke.