County Court Judgments (CCJs): What They Mean and How to Deal With Them

A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order made against you when a creditor has taken you to court for an unpaid debt and you have either not responded to the claim or the court has decided you owe the money.

A CCJ specifies the amount you owe and how you must pay it — either in full by a certain date or in instalments. It is recorded on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, which is a public record. Credit reference agencies (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) pick up this information and add it to your credit file.

A CCJ has a serious impact on your ability to borrow money, get a mortgage, rent a property, or even pass employer credit checks:

• It remains on your credit file for 6 years from the date of judgment.
• Lenders see it as a significant red flag. Many will refuse applications outright.
• It affects your credit score substantially — expect a drop of hundreds of points.
• It is visible to anyone who searches the Register of Judgments (landlords, employers, lenders).

The 1-month rule: If you pay the full amount within 1 calendar month of the date of judgment, you can apply to have the CCJ removed from the Register entirely. It will not appear on your credit file at all. The fee for this application (form N443) is currently £15.

If you pay after 1 month but before 6 years, the entry is marked as "satisfied" but remains on the Register for the full 6 years. A satisfied CCJ is better than an unsatisfied one, but it still significantly affects your credit.

If you believe the CCJ should not have been made — for example, because you never received the claim form, or because you have a genuine defence to the debt — you can apply to have it set aside (cancelled).

Under CPR Part 13, the court must set aside a default judgment if:

• You filed an acknowledgment of service or a defence within the time allowed (and the judgment was entered by mistake).

The court may set aside a default judgment if:

• You have a real prospect of successfully defending the claim, or
• There is some other good reason why the judgment should be set aside (e.g. you did not receive the claim because it was sent to the wrong address).

To apply, complete form N244 (application notice). The court fee is currently £275. You must act promptly — the longer you wait, the harder it is to persuade the court.

If a CCJ orders you to pay in instalments but you cannot afford the payments, you can apply to vary the terms. Complete form N245 (application to vary a judgment or suspend enforcement). There is no court fee for this application.

You will need to provide a detailed income and expenditure statement showing why the current payment amount is unaffordable. The court will consider your financial circumstances and may reduce the instalment amount or give you more time to pay.

If you have had a change of circumstances since the judgment (e.g. lost your job, had a reduction in income), explain this clearly.

A CCJ on its own does not mean bailiffs will appear at your door. The creditor must take separate enforcement action, which involves additional court applications and fees. Common enforcement methods include:

• Warrant of Control / Writ of Control: Bailiffs or High Court Enforcement Officers attend your premises to seize goods to sell at auction.
• Attachment of Earnings: The court orders your employer to deduct payments from your wages.
• Third Party Debt Order: The court freezes and takes money from your bank account.
• Charging Order: The debt is secured against your property. The creditor can then apply for an Order for Sale to force the sale of the property.

Each enforcement method has its own rules and limitations. For example, bailiffs cannot force entry to a residential property on a first visit, and certain essential goods are protected from seizure.

This guide provides general legal information about UK law and is not legal advice. Laws and regulations change, and individual circumstances vary significantly. For advice specific to your situation, you should consult a qualified solicitor.

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