What should I do if I get a CCJ?
If you’ve received a County Court Judgement, also known as a CCJ, the first thing you should do is check that the amount stated on the judgement is correct. If not, then you should get this changed by following the guidance on the N30 form.
Can repay the debt:
If the amount is correct and you are in a position to repay the full amount, then you should do so as soon as possible otherwise the CCJ will be registered with the Register of County Court Judgements and credit reference agencies normally 30 days after you have received notice of the pending CCJ.
Can repay the debt at a later date:
Alternatively, if you cannot afford to repay the amount straight away, but can repay it at a later date, then you can apply to the court for a certificate of Satisfaction for £10. Although the CCJ will remain on your credit file for 6 years, potential lenders will be able to see that you have repaid the debt.
Can’t repay the debt:
If you are unable to repay the debt, then you should ask the court to ‘vary’ the order. You can do this by completing an N245 form which you can get from the courts. You will have to provide information on your income and outgoings, which is referred to as a means enquiry. You will have to pay a £30 application fee to the court issuing the CCJ.
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What happens when a CCJ is amended on the Register of County Court Judgements
If a judgement has been set aside or reversed because you have appealed against the CCJ or paid the debt within a month of being notified, then the court will automatically remove the entry from the Register of County Court Judgements.
The court will send notification of cancellation to the Registry Trust which means the entry will be removed from the Register and from the databases of credit reference agencies. This can take up to 4 weeks to complete.
If you have repaid the debt in full within a month of the judgement being entered on the register, you can request to have the entry cancelled. If you repay the debt later than a month after the judgement was issued, then you can request that the entry is amended to show as ‘paid’. This will remain on your credit file for 6 years. Records are deleted after this time.
In England and Wales, a Certificate of Satisfaction stating that the debt has been paid can be obtained from the County Court dealing with the CCJ for a fee of £10. If you repaid the lender directly, the court will request evidence to show you have repaid the debt in full.