A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order issued in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland when a creditor takes legal action to recover money they believe you owe. If you receive a claim form and do not respond, or a court decides you owe the debt, a CCJ can be registered against you.
A CCJ stays on your credit file for six years and can make it harder to get credit, a mortgage, a mobile phone contract, or even some jobs. However, receiving one is not the end of the road. If you pay the full amount within one month, the CCJ is removed from the register entirely. Pay later than that and it will be marked as satisfied, which some lenders view more favourably.
This hub brings together all of our guides on CCJs - from responding to a claim form and asking the court to vary your payments, to having a judgment set aside and dealing with enforcement action such as bailiffs. If your CCJ is part of a wider debt problem, a debt solution may be able to help you deal with it alongside your other debts.
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Debt Collection
Debt collection is the process of recovering money owed to a creditor. If you’ve fallen behind on your payments, your creditor may pass or sell the debt to a debt collection agency if they’ve been unsuccessful at collecting payment themselves. Debt collectors can ask you to repay the debt, but there are certain rules they must follow during the debt collection process.
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Bailiffs
Bailiffs are authorised agents instructed to collect unpaid debts on behalf of creditors. They may become involved when you haven’t paid a debt, and your creditor has obtained the legal authority to enforce it. Depending on the type of debt and how many times they have visited, bailiffs may be able to visit your home, ask you to make a payment, or take control of your belongings to recover the money you owe.
Struggling with a CCJ?
Our advisors will explain the pros and cons of each option, including any risks, costs, and impact on your credit file, so you can choose the solution that’s right for you.
