CCJ check: How to find out if you have a County Court judgment against you

If you’re struggling with debt, one of the first things you’ll want to do is check for any County Court Judgments (CCJs) against you.

In this guide we’ll explain what CCJs are, the impact of having a CCJ on your credit history, and how you can run a CCJ check on your name.

What is a County Court Judgment (CCJ)?

A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order issued by a County Court in England and Wales, which states that the debtor owes money due to unpaid debts.

In some cases, an individual or business may not have paid for goods or services supplied – or for other forms of debt such as loans, rent arrears or credit card bills.

The court will assess evidence from both parties and may then decide to issue a CCJ to require payment from the debtor.

It’s important to note that the legal system for CCJs is different in Northern Ireland, so anyone with questions about one should check details specific to their own jurisdiction.

What happens when you receive a CCJ?

When you receive a County Court Judgement (CCJ), you will be given written confirmation of the court order by post.

The CCJ letter will confirm which creditor has filed the CCJ against you, will provide details of the County Court which has made the order, and will also give you the steps you can take to repay the debt you owe.

If you receive a CCJ, it’s in your best interests to take immediate action – you must pay it within 30 days or it will be listed on your credit report, as well as a public register.

The consequences of failing to pay a CCJ may include collection companies trying to reclaim the amount outstanding, as well as long-term impacts on your credit score. In the worst cases, creditors can apply to have money taken directly from your bank account.

How do you conduct a CCJ check?

There are two main ways to conduct a CCJ check: Via the Register of Judgments, Orders, & Fines, or by getting in touch with a credit reference agency.

Register of Judgments, Orders, and Fines

If you choose to use the Register of Judgments Orders & Fines, an official statutory register, you can visit the Registry Trust website and search your name.

This allows you to access the Register of Judgments Orders & Fines on a public register, where your case may be listed if you have one.

By searching through this database, you can quickly determine whether or not there is an active CCJ against you.

Credit reference agencies

Credit reference agencies are the best resource to conduct a Credit Court Judgment (CCJ) check on your behalf.

These specific agencies monitor your financial history, and provide an accurate history report of what is noted on your statutory credit file.

The main three credit reference agencies in the UK are Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian.

They offer various services, from accessing detailed personal information relating to CCJs, to providing a free statutory credit report check (though in some cases it may require a small fee).

If you decide to go down this route, it’s important to always use reputable credit reference agencies as they will have access to the most up-to-date and accurate financial information.

Will a CCJ negatively affect my credit rating?

If you have a County Court Judgement (CCJ) against your name, the short answer is yes, it will negatively affect your credit rating.

Lenders view CCJ’s as a sign of risk and could make it difficult to borrow money in the future.

This means that you may struggle to be accepted for a mortgage or other credit agreements for as long as a CCJ remains on your credit file.

That being said, if you eventually pay off the debt in full and are able to successfully get the CCJ removed from your record, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be accepted for credit agreements.

How long does a CCJ stay on your credit report?

A County Court Judgment (CCJ) stays on your credit report for six years from the date of issue.

If you repay the debt related to the CCJ within that time, it will still stay on your record for six years but will be marked as ‘satisfied’ so that anybody searching your financial history will know that you’ve paid.

If you fail to repay the CCJ it will be marked as ‘unsatisfied’. An unsatisfied CCJ is generally considered a bad sign by most lenders and can make accessing finance more difficult in the future.

How can I get rid of a County Court Judgment?

If you find yourself with a County Court Judgment (CCJ), there are three ways for you to get rid of it.

If you owe the debt

Repay money owed within 30 days

Firstly, if you’re able to, the fastest option is to repay the money owed within 30 days.

You can then apply to the courts to have the CCJ removed from your credit file, meaning it won’t stay on your record for a period of six years, and damage to your credit rating should be minimal.

Wait six years for the CCJ to be removed

Secondly, If you owe the debt in question and don’t have enough money to pay it off within one month, your County Court Judgment (CCJ) will remain on file for six years.

After that period has ended, details of the CCJ should automatically be removed from both the Register and credit report; though updating all information could take the credit reference agencies some time.

If you don’t owe the debt

Ask for the CCJ to be set aside

If you believe that you don’t owe the debt in question, there is an option to petition for your judgment to be “set aside”.

To take this route, you need to fill out a N244 claim form and provide the legal, provable reasons why you do not owe the money.

It may require a small court fee charge for your case to be assessed.

Once you’ve submitted your reasons, the court will then evaluate all the evidence before deciding whether or not they should set aside the CCJ.

Once a CCJ is set aside, it will also be removed from the CCJ Register and your credit record.

What happens if I ignore a CCJ?

Once you have a CCJ issued against you, ignoring it is likely to cause significant damage to your credit rating.

It can take years to repair the damage, and will make it extremely difficult for you do to thing like be accepted for a loan or have a mortgage approved.

Failing to respond to or pay off a CCJ also comes with a risk of further legal action, including bailiffs being authorised to seize possessions from your home and sell them at auction in order to recover their money.

This can inflict significant harm on you, both financially and psychologically, so it is important to deal with it immediately should you receive a CCJ.

How do I protect myself from court action if I owe money to creditors?

If your financial troubles have you feeling overwhelmed and directionless, now is the time to seek out experienced debt assistance from Your Debt Expert.

Our experienced team can provide tailored advice and manageable repayment plans that suit you unique financial situation.

To find out more about how a debt repayment plan could help you, get in touch with one of our friendly advisors today.