The court will send to each party with the provisionally assessed bill or Precedent G a notice stating that any party who wishes to challenge any of the decisions made by the court on the provisional assessment must file and serve on all other parties a written request for an oral hearing within 21 days of receipt of the notice. If no request is filed within that period the provisional assessment will be binding upon the parties, save in exceptional circumstances.

The written request must identify the item(s) which the requesting party wishes to challenge and provide a time estimate for the hearing. The court will give at least 14 days’ notice of the hearing.

Unless the court orders otherwise, the party who has requested the hearing will pay the costs of and incidental to the hearing unless that party achieves an adjustment in its own favour by 20 per cent or more of the sum provisionally assessed.

Extract from the Senior Courts Costs Office Guide 2018