(1) The defence must set out all the facts on which the defendant relies to dispute the claim.
(2) Such statement must be as short as practicable.
(3) In the defence the defendant must say which (if any) allegations in the claim form or statement of claim —
(a) are admitted;
(b) are denied;
(c) are neither admitted nor denied, because the defendant does not know whether they are true; and
(d) the defendant wishes the claimant to prove.
(4) If the defendant denies any of the allegations in the claim form or statement of claim —
(a) the defendant must state the reasons for doing so; and
(b) if the defendant intends to prove a different version of events from that given by the claimant, the defendant's own version must be set out in the defence.
(5) If, in relation to any allegation in the claim form or statement of claim, the defendant does —
(a) admit it; or
(b) deny it and put forward a different version of events,
the defendant must state the reasons for resisting the allegation.
(6) The defendant must identify in or annex to the defence any document which is considered to be necessary to the defence.
(7) A defendant who defends in a representative capacity must say —
(a) what that capacity is; and
(b) whom the defendant represents.
(8) The defendant must verify the facts set out in the defence by a certificate of truth in accordance with rule 3.11.