Early signs are the new Citizens Advice Crawley court desk is appreciated by people facing action but also judges, staff and those seeking a court judgement.
Desk Officer Brian Fissenden (pictured) is pleased with progress made by the service which began in July following closure of the Redhill and Reigate courts in March.
“When the courts closed we made a strong case for access to justice closer than Guildford or Staines. The Crawley court with Citizens Advice presence is definitely proving valuable.
“We can help the different sides find a way forward that means for example a family keeping their home and a landlord avoiding the cost of finding a new tenant.
“Often the problem seems to be poor communication that has made legal proceedings inevitable. Our role is to try to bridge the gap at the time but also to encourage the parties to tackle problems earlier in future. The chances of stopping a court action are much better if people come to us as soon as they realise there’s a problem. This also means they avoid the risk of having to pay steep court costs on top of rent arrears.”