--- title: "Breach of Contract" date: 2026-10-12 author: "K&S" url: https://cohenmurisonlaw.com/personal-injury/breach-of-contract/ --- ![](https://cohenmurisonlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/contract-condo.webp) # Someone broke a deal with you? *Find out what you can recover.* We read the contract and the paper trail, tell you plainly whether the claim is worth pursuing, and handle the demand letter and the court claim for you. ## Thank you, we have it. We'll call you during office hours, 9 am to 5 pm, 7 days a week. If your two years are nearly up, call now. [Book a free video meeting now](https://calendar.app.google/p4UydfDQwFAi1NRUA) [Call (289) 309-3069](tel:+12893093069) Contract disputes ## When the other side *doesn't do what it promised.* A contract doesn't have to be a long signed document. Emails, quotes, invoices and text messages can all show what was agreed. These are the disputes we see most often. ### Unpaid invoices You did the work or delivered the goods, and the bill sits unpaid despite reminders. **Often involves**Freelancers, trades, suppliers and small businesses owed money by a client. ### Contractors and renovations The job was left unfinished, done badly, or went far over the quote, and the contractor won't put it right. **Often involves**Deposits paid for work that never started, defects, and disputes over extras. ### Business contracts A supplier, customer or partner didn't deliver, didn't pay, or walked away from the agreement. **Often involves**Service agreements, supply contracts, loans and shareholder or partner arrangements. ### Consumer contracts You paid for a product or service that wasn't delivered, or wasn't what you were sold. **Often involves**Refunds refused, cancelled services, vehicle purchases and home services. Which court ## Small Claims Court *or the Superior Court?* The amount you're owed decides where the claim goes. Both are part of the Superior Court of Justice, but they run very differently. ### Small Claims Court For claims of $50,000 or less, not counting interest and costs. The forms are simpler, the process is quicker, and a judge meets both sides at a settlement conference before any trial. **Usually fits when**You're owed $50,000 or less, or you're willing to give up anything above that to keep the claim simpler. ### Superior Court of Justice For claims over $50,000. The steps are more formal, take longer and cost more, but there's no cap on what you can claim. **Usually fits when**The amount is well over $50,000, or the dispute is complex enough to need the fuller court process. How it works ## From unpaid bill *to court order.* Many disputes end with a letter or at the settlement conference. We prepare each step with a possible trial in mind. [Ask about your dispute](#review) 1. **Review the contract**We read what was agreed, what went wrong and what you can prove, and tell you whether a claim makes sense. 2. **Demand letter**A clear letter sets out what's owed and a date to pay. Sometimes that's the end of it. 3. **Start the claim**We file the claim in the right court and serve it. In Small Claims Court, the other side then has *20 days* to file a defence. 4. **Settlement conference**In Small Claims Court, a judge meets both sides to try to settle the dispute before trial. 5. **Trial and collection**If it doesn't settle, we argue your case at trial. If you win and they still don't pay, we help you enforce the judgment. Time limit ## Two years, *in most cases.* Ontario's Limitations Act, 2002 gives you two years to start a claim. Miss it and the claim is usually lost, however strong it is. - 2 **years to start a claim, in most cases** - 6 **months to serve a Small Claims Court claim once it's issued** ### When the two years start The clock usually starts on the day you knew, or ought to have known, that you'd lost money because of what the other side did or failed to do. For an unpaid invoice, that's often when payment was due and didn't come. ### What doesn't stop the clock - Sending reminders or a demand letter - Promises from the other side that payment is coming - Negotiating a settlement that doesn't close If you're close to the two years, or not sure when they started, speak to us now. The exact date depends on your facts. Your first meeting ## What to bring *to your meeting.* Bring what you have. We can tell you what's missing and how to get it. - **The contract or quote**Signed agreements, quotes, estimates, or terms you accepted online. - **Invoices and receipts**What was billed, what was paid and when. - **Emails and messages**Anything showing what was agreed, changed or promised. - **Proof of the problem**Photos of unfinished or faulty work, delivery records, inspection reports. - **Key dates**When payment was due, when the work stopped, when you first raised the issue. - **The other side's details**Their full legal name and address. For a business, its registered name if you know it. ★★★★★ > “His guidance was clear, honest, and very reassuring during a stressful time.” **S* Sana ChaudharyGoogle review* Videos ## Watch it *explained.* [More on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@CohenMurisonLaw) Questions ## Breach of contract *questions* Don't see yours? Call [(289) 309-3069](tel:+12893093069). What's the most I can claim in Small Claims Court? $50,000, not counting interest and costs. The limit rose from $35,000 on October 1, 2025. If you're owed more, you can sue in the Superior Court of Justice, or give up the amount over $50,000 to stay in Small Claims Court. Giving it up is permanent, so talk it through with us first. How long do I have to sue for breach of contract? In most cases, two years from the day you knew, or ought to have known, that you'd lost money because of what the other side did or didn't do. Sending demand letters or negotiating doesn't stop the clock by itself. Do I have to send a demand letter before I sue? It isn't usually a required step, but it's often worth doing. A clear letter from a lawyer sometimes gets the bill paid, and it shows the court you gave the other side a fair chance to fix things. What happens if I win and they still don't pay? A judgment doesn't collect itself. You may need to take enforcement steps, such as garnishing wages or a bank account, and these have their own court fees. We look at whether the other side can pay before you decide to sue. How do fees work for a contract dispute? On a contingency fee: either a small amount upfront and the rest only if you're compensated, or no legal fees at all unless you're compensated. The fee is a percentage set out in a written contingency fee agreement, plus HST, and we explain it at the free first video meeting, before you commit to anything. Is the first meeting free? Video meetings are free. In-person meetings at First Canadian Place are $100. Related ## Other claims *we handle.* [**Professional Malpractice and Negligence**Read more](https://cohenmurisonlaw.com/personal-injury/professional-negligence/) [**Long-Term Disability**Read more](https://cohenmurisonlaw.com/personal-injury/long-term-disability/) [**Slip and Falls**Read more](https://cohenmurisonlaw.com/personal-injury/slip-and-fall/) [**Dog Bites**Read more](https://cohenmurisonlaw.com/personal-injury/dog-bites/) Free video meeting ## Owed money? *Talk to a lawyer before the two years run out.* By video (free) or in person at First Canadian Place ($100), 7 days a week. [Book a free video meeting](https://calendar.app.google/p4UydfDQwFAi1NRUA) [Call (289) 309-3069](tel:+12893093069) [Send a message](#review) **Cohen Murison Law** 100 King Street West, Suite 5700 First Canadian Place, Toronto, ON M5X 1C7 Open 7 days, 9 am to 5 pm. Closed on public holidays. --- ## Cohen Murison Law - Website: https://cohenmurisonlaw.com - Contact: pawan@konanandspade.com