CRT Dispute Notice Served: What to Do First in BC

Someone just handed you a stack of papers — or you opened an email — and the words "Civil Resolution Tribunal" and "Dispute Notice" are staring back at you. Your pulse is up and you are not sure whether to call a lawyer, go online, or ignore it. Do not ignore it. Here is what to do in the first 48 hours, before the pressure of the deadline takes over.

Read the Documents Carefully

Before you do anything else, sit down and read every page of the Dispute Notice package. You are looking for six things:

1. Which forum. The header tells you whether this is a "Civil Resolution Tribunal" claim or a "Provincial Court of British Columbia (Small Claims Court)" claim. The forum determines which response form you file and the exact procedure from here.

2. The file number. A CRT claim has a 9-digit file number (e.g., CRT-2026-XXXXX). A Provincial Court claim has a court registry file number and a registry location. Write it down — you will need it for every step.

3. Who is suing you. The names of the applicant(s) or claimant(s). Check whether they named you personally, your business, or both.

4. What they want. The "Remedies Sought" or "How Much" section lists the dollar amount and what it is for. Read each line item — you will need to respond to each one individually.

5. How you were served. The way the documents were delivered to you (personal delivery, registered mail, email) determines when your response deadline starts.

6. The access code. CRT Dispute Notices include an access code that lets you log into the CRT portal and access your case file. Keep this safe.

Verify the Notice Is Real

Scam demand letters exist. Before you invest time and stress into responding, verify the claim is genuine:

• For CRT claims: go to civilresolutionbc.ca and enter the file number and access code. If it pulls up a live case with your name on it, the notice is real. If the credentials do not work, call the CRT directly at 1-844-322-2292.
• For Provincial Court claims: call the specific court registry named on the documents and confirm the file number is on record.

Do not click links, scan QR codes, or call phone numbers printed on unverified documents.

Figure Out Your Deadline

Your response deadline is 14 calendar days from the date of valid service if you were served in BC, or 30 calendar days if you were served outside BC. The day of service does not count — counting starts the following day. If the final day falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline extends to the next business day.

Mark the date. Put it in your phone. This is the most important deadline in the process — miss it and the other side can apply for a default decision without your input.

Do Not Panic — and Do Not Ignore It

The most common reaction is either to panic and file a rushed, incomplete response, or to freeze and miss the deadline entirely. Both are bad outcomes.

Filing a response does not mean you are admitting anything. It means you are participating in the process — telling the CRT or the court that you have a side of the story. Once your response is filed, the case moves to negotiation and facilitation where most disputes settle without ever reaching a formal decision.

If you know you owe the money but cannot pay it all at once, you still need to file a response. You can admit the claim and propose an instalment schedule — and you should, because failing to respond means the applicant gets a default order for the full amount with no payment plan.

Gather Your Documents

While the deadline is still fresh, start collecting anything related to the dispute:

• Contracts, invoices, quotes, or written agreements
• Emails, text messages, and letters between you and the applicant
• Photos (of damaged property, completed work, defective goods)
• Receipts and proof of payment
• Any correspondence from the CRT or court

You do not need all of this for the response form itself — the response is relatively brief. But you will need it for the negotiation and evidence stages that follow, and collecting documents is harder once months have passed.

The BC CRT Dispute Response Guide walks through each step from the moment you are served to the final decision, with a Dispute Notice Decoder worksheet and a deadline calculator for your specific service date.

See more British Columbia guides →