Aaaargh! Rant alert!
In March, I launched a claim in the small claims court against solicitors who owe me a fee from July 2013. Never been driven to this before but they'd ignored all invoices, e-mails, phone calls & reminders. They belatedly acknowledged a formal written complaint, said they'd reply within two weeks, then ignored two more reminders over three months.
Then they defended the claim, on grounds which I could immediately show were spurious, with the help of the Legal Aid Authority (who replied by return) and the government's legal aid manager for the firm, with whom I'm now on first-name terms.
When I served my directions form on them, by registered post to the person and address on their court form, they returned it 'Addressee has gone away'. Sent it again by normal post with copy of the return envelope - they kept it that time.
They said they wanted mediation. I said the same. Appointment provisionally made for today, with a five-hour window for a telephone call. Waited by phone 2.5 hours (admittedly doing other work) before realising I should have had e-mail giving me a more exact time. Called mediation service. Guess what? Defendants have ignored all their e-mails and phone calls as well.
So now it has to go to court. And since I gave my dates to avoid, I have booked our holidays 
.
I would have accepted an offer of a third, even a fifth of the fee, if they'd come back with a courteous explanation and an apology. But now I'm properly cross. And have another headache.
Feels better having got that off my chest, though 