Labour leader Andrew Little has been served with defamation papers.

Scenic Hotel Group founders Earl and Lani Hagaman say they have filed papers in the High Court after Little failed to retract and apologise for comments made about Mr Hagaman.

"The proceedings have now been served on Mr Little," the couple said in a statement.

"As we said earlier, the reasons we're taking defamation action have been widely reported in the media and I won't be repeating his allegations that Earl and I find hurtful, highly offensive and totally false. We will now clear our names in Court", Lani Hagaman said.

"As the matter is now before the High Court, no further comment will be made and the case will now proceed to a hearing."

A spokesman for Little confirmed he had received the papers via his solicitor and as the matter was now before the courts he would not be making further comment.