BC Small Claims Instalment Order and Payment Plan Options

You have been served with a small claim in BC and you know you owe the money — or at least part of it. Paying the full amount in one lump sum is not realistic right now. The good news: both the CRT and Provincial Court let you propose a payment schedule as part of your response. The bad news: you need to actually file a response to do it. Ignoring the claim because you cannot pay is the fastest route to a default decision for the full amount.

Proposing a Payment Plan at the CRT

When you file your Dispute Response through the CRT portal, one of the response options is to admit the claim and propose a payment schedule. You select "Admit" for the relevant claim items and then enter your proposed instalment terms — how much per month and over what period.

There is no CRT filing fee for this. The online response is free regardless of whether you dispute or admit.

The applicant does not have to accept your proposal. If they reject it, the case continues through negotiation and facilitation, where a case manager can help the parties explore settlement. If no settlement is reached, the CRT member decides the dispute; do not assume your proposed schedule will be ordered.

Partial Admissions

You do not have to admit the whole claim to propose payments. A partial admission works like this: the applicant says you owe $4,500 for renovation work. You agree you owe $3,000 (the amount for completed work) but dispute the remaining $1,500 (for work that was never finished). You admit $3,000 and propose monthly payments for that amount, while disputing the $1,500.

The CRT response lets you identify which amount you admit and which you dispute. The disputed amount proceeds through the CRT's normal negotiation, facilitation, and adjudication process.

Provincial Court Instalment Orders

In Provincial Court Small Claims (claims between $5,001 and $35,000), you propose payment terms in the Form 2 Reply. Under the "Proposed Payment" section, you set out your offer — amount per instalment and frequency.

If you admit the full claim and only propose a payment schedule, the Provincial Court charges no filing fee for Form 2. If you are also disputing part of the claim, the standard $26 or $50 filing fee applies.

You can propose payment terms in Form 2. If the claimant disputes those terms, the court will address the claim through its usual process; do not assume the judge will impose your proposal.

What to Include in Your Proposal

A realistic proposal is more likely to be accepted. Include:

• The monthly amount you can actually afford. Proposing $50 a month on a $5,000 debt (over 8 years) is unlikely to be accepted. Proposing $500 a month (10 months) is more reasonable.
• Your first payment date. Show that you are ready to start immediately, not in three months.
• What happens if you miss a payment. If a proposed consent order includes an acceleration clause, the full remaining balance may become due after a missed payment. Read the wording carefully before agreeing to it.

What Happens If You Miss a Payment

If a payment plan is part of a CRT consent order or decision and you miss a scheduled payment, the applicant can register the order in Provincial Court and enforce it. Enforcement tools include garnishing orders against your wages or bank accounts, seizure of personal property, and payment hearings where a judge examines your finances.

If the agreement included an acceleration clause, the entire remaining balance becomes enforceable immediately — not just the missed instalment.

Do Not Skip the Response

The most common mistake respondents make when they know they owe money is not responding at all. A default decision is almost always worse than an instalment order. With a default, the applicant gets a lump-sum order for the full amount plus filing fees, and enforcement can begin immediately. With a properly filed response, you have the opportunity to negotiate manageable terms.

The BC CRT Dispute Response Guide walks through the payment plan proposal process for both the CRT and Provincial Court, with a worksheet for building a realistic instalment schedule.

See more British Columbia guides →