51A.—(1) This section applies to a relevant claim if the following 2 conditions are satisfied in respect of that claim.

(2) Those conditions are that—

(a) the claimant either—

(i) has made a statement in writing, in response to a notice under section 30, that he or she does not accept an assessment of the relevant claim, or

(ii) is deemed, by virtue of section 31, not to have accepted that assessment,

and

(b) a respondent either—

(i) has made a statement in writing, in response to a notice under section 30, that he or she does accept the foregoing assessment, or

(ii) is deemed, by virtue of section 31, to have accepted the foregoing assessment.

F62[(3) Subject to subsections (6) and (7) and notwithstanding section 169 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, if, as respects a relevant claim to which this section applies, a claimant brings proceedings in accordance with this Act, no award of costs nor any other order providing for payment of costs may be made in favour of the claimant where the amount of damages (if any) awarded on foot of, or accepted in settlement of, those proceedings does not exceed the amount of the assessment referred to in subsection (2).]

F63[(3A) (a) Subject to subsections (6) and (7), if, as respects a relevant claim to which this section applies, a claimant brings proceedings in accordance with this Act a respondent, as the defendant in the relevant proceedings, shall be deemed to have made an offer of tender of payment pursuant to rules of court on the relevant date equal to the amount of the assessment in relation to the relevant claim concerned.

(b) Where the court finds that the defendant was not in a position to pay a sum equal to the amount of the assessment on the relevant date the court may, by special cause shown and mentioned in the order, direct that paragraph (a) shall not apply.

(c) In this subsection—

“relevant date” means the date on which—

(i) the respondent made a statement in writing, in response to a notice under section 30, that he or she accepted the assessment, or

(ii) the respondent was deemed, by virtue of section 31, to have accepted the assessment.]

(4) F64[In subsections (3) and (3A)] "proceedings" means proceedings against—

(a) one or more persons who consented, in accordance with this Part, to the making of an assessment of the relevant claim or on whose part a failure of the kind referred to in F64[section 14(1)(c)(ii)] occurred in relation to the relevant claim (or both), or

(b) both—

(i) one or more persons referred to in paragraph (a), and

(ii) one or more non-participating respondents (within the meaning of section 15),

whether or not the proceedings are also against one or more non-accepting respondents (within the meaning of section 34).

(5) F64[Subsections (3) and (3A) apply] notwithstanding sections 37 and 51.

(6) F64[Subsections (3) and (3A) do not apply] if, in the proceedings referred to in that subsection—

(a) a formal offer (within the meaning of section 17 of the Civil Liability and Courts Act 2004) is made by a defendant and the amount of the offer is not equal to the amount of the assessment referred to in subsection (2), or

(b) a payment into court of a sum of money in satisfaction of the cause of action or an offer of tender of payment, pursuant to rules of court, is made.

(7) F64[Subsections (3) and (3A) do not operate]—

(a) to prohibit an award of costs or the making of any other order providing for payment of costs, in the circumstances mentioned in that subsection, in favour of a claimant against a non-accepting respondent or respondents (within the meaning of section 34), or

(b) to confer on a court a power, in the circumstances mentioned in that subsection, to order a claimant to pay all or a portion of the costs of a non-accepting respondent or respondents (within the meaning of section 34).]