On receipt of the request for a detailed assessment hearing, except where the bill is to be assessed provisionally (see Section 13), the court will fix a date for the detailed assessment hearing, or, if the costs officer or Costs Judge so decides, will give directions or fix a date for the first appointment.

The court will give at least 14 days’ notice of the time and place of the detailed assessment hearing to every person whose name and address appears on the statement of persons to whom notice should be given which accompanies the request. If the case settles before the hearing the parties should notify the court immediately, preferably by email.

Listing times vary according to the numbers of cases received and the resources available to the court. Historically cases assigned to costs officers have usually been given a date for hearing not more than 12 weeks later than the date the request for a hearing was filed. Cases assigned to Costs Judges have usually been given a date for hearing not more than eight months later than the date upon which the request for a hearing was filed. When filing the request the receiving party should also file a note of any dates upon which, to the knowledge of that party, a detailed assessment hearing would be inconvenient for any party likely to attend.

As to the making of an application to change the date for hearing once fixed, see section 20 (applications).

Extract from the Senior Courts Costs Office Guide 2018