County court judgements (CCJs) and your credit score

Quick answer: A county court judgement, or CCJ, can stay on your credit report for six years and may lower your credit score. You can check your Experian Credit Report to see if you have one and understand what it is for. We can help you get things moving in the right direction again.

A court judgement can affect your credit score and make it harder to get credit. This could include loans, credit cards, mobile phone contracts and mortgages.

But there are steps you can take. By checking your credit report, responding quickly and keeping up with any agreed payments, you can help reduce the impact of a CCJ over time.

This guide explains what a CCJ is, how to check if you have a CCJ and what you can do next.

What is a CCJ?

A county court judgement is a court order that can be made if you owe money and the creditor believes you will not repay it. CCJs can be issued in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, the same kind of court order is called a decree.

A creditor may apply for a CCJ against you. If the court agrees, it will issue the judgement and tell you to pay the money back.

You’ll usually get information about the CCJ in the post. You can then choose to:

• Pay back the full amount straight away
• Ask to pay later or in instalments
• Dispute the claim or amount owed if you think it’s wrong
• Claim against the creditor if you think they owe you money

If you’re thinking about appealing a county court judgement, it can help to get free guidance before you respond.

How to check if I have a CCJ

You can check if you have a CCJ by looking at your Experian Credit Report. Your report can show whether a CCJ has been added to your credit file.

Your report may show details such as the court name, case number and amount owed. You can use these details to contact the court if you need more information.

If you’re looking for a free CCJ check, you can check your Experian Credit Report through the app with a free Experian account. Your Experian Credit Report updates monthly if you log in.

You can also do a CCJ check through the public Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines. There may be a small fee to search the register.

What happens if I get a CCJ?

If you get a CCJ and it’s recorded, it will usually be added to your credit report.

A CCJ can lower your credit score. It may also make it harder to get credit, because lenders check your credit information when you apply.

A CCJ can affect applications for:

• Loans
• Credit cards
• Mortgages
• Bank accounts
• Mobile phone contracts

Employers and letting agents may also check your credit report in some circumstances.

If you pay the full amount within one calendar month of the CCJ being issued, it will not be recorded on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines. If it is not recorded, it should not appear on your credit report.

Missed payments or defaults that led to the CCJ may still show on your credit report.

Experian credit expert

Our expert says

Finding out you have a court judgement can feel worrying, but it helps to act quickly. When you check your credit report, you’ll be able to see details of the judgement and the relevant court to contact. If it’s a brand-new judgement, or reissued in certain circumstances, you’ll be able to pay it within one month and it won’t appear on your credit report. Jacqui Hamilton, Experian UK

How long does a CCJ stay on your credit report?

A CCJ will stay on your credit report for six years from the date of the judgement.

This is usually the case even if you pay it during that time. If you pay it after one calendar month, it should be marked as satisfied. This can look better to lenders than an unpaid CCJ, but it can still affect your ability to get credit.

After six years, the CCJ should be removed from your credit report automatically.

Your Experian Credit Score is a number between 0 and 1250. The higher your score, the better your chances of being accepted for credit. Checking your score can help you understand where you stand.

How to remove a CCJ from my credit report?

You may be able to ask us and the other credit reference agencies to remove a CCJ from your credit report if you can prove it should not be there.

This could apply if:

• You paid the full amount within one calendar month of the CCJ being issued
• It has been six years since you received the CCJ
• The court cancelled or set aside the CCJ
• An insurance company was responsible for the debt

If you’re searching for how to remove CCJ from credit file, the first step is to gather evidence. You’ll need to show why the CCJ should be removed or updated.

Once you have evidence, get in touch with us .

Can I remove a CCJ from my credit report?

Yes, but only in certain cases. You can ask for a CCJ to be removed from your credit report if it was added in error, paid in full within one calendar month or cancelled by the court. It should also be removed automatically after six years.

If you did not know about the CCJ until you saw it on your credit report, check the court name and case number. You can then contact the court to ask for more information.

How can I rebuild my credit score after a CCJ?

Rebuilding your credit score after a CCJ can take time, but there are steps that may help.

You can:

• Check your credit report and make sure your details are correct
• Keep up with your CCJ repayments and any other credit agreements
• Contact your lender early if you think you might miss a payment
• Register to vote at your current address
• Limit the number of credit applications you make
• Connect to Experian Boost, which could help improve your Experian Credit Score

You can find more ways to improve your credit score in our guide.

You can also use your free Experian account to check your Experian Credit Score and track how it changes over time.

If you want more detail and tailored support, CreditExpert can show what’s affecting your Experian Credit Score and give you a personalised action plan to help you improve it.

FAQs

Can you get a CCJ in Scotland?

In Scotland, a court order to repay debt owed to a creditor is called a decree. A decree is issued by sheriff courts in Scotland and is equivalent to a county court judgment in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Like a CCJ, a decree is a court order that can be made if you owe money and your creditor believes you won’t repay it. They impact your credit score in the same way as a CCJ.

Find out more about decrees from the Registry Trust.

Can I negotiate a CCJ?

Yes, you may be able to agree how you repay the money owed.

When you receive the claim, you should get a reply form. Send this back within the time given in the letter. If you agree that you owe the money, you can ask to pay in instalments or at a later date.

If you do not agree with the claim, you can dispute it. You may want to get free debt support before you respond. There are several organisations who can offer free independent guidance.

What happens if you don’t pay a CCJ?

If you do not pay a CCJ or respond to it, the creditor may ask the court to take further action.

This could include money being taken from your wages, enforcement officers visiting your home or bailiffs asking for payment or goods that could be used towards the debt.

If you’re struggling to pay, it is better to respond and ask about paying in more manageable instalments. You can also get free support from debt charities.

How to find out what a CCJ is for

Start by checking your Experian Credit Report. It may show the court name, case number and amount owed. The court should be able to tell you more about the claim and the creditor.

The public Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines may also show your name, address, case number, court and the amount owed. It will not usually show who you owe the money to, but they should be able to tell you more about it.