CCJ Removal – How to Check for and Remove a CCJ You Didn’t Know About
A County Court Judgment (CCJ) can significantly impact your financial future, often without you even realising it. Increasingly, people discover they have a CCJ on their credit report when they are applying for such things as credit (mortgage, loan, credit card or car finance), renting a property or a new job. If you’ve recently been rejected for any of these due to finding a CCJ during the application process and need help removing it, this guide will help walk you through the process and introduce you to expert assistance from CCJ Removal Service.
How can you have a CCJ without knowing
It’s surprising how common it is for people to be unaware they have a CCJ in their name. Some of the common reasons include:
- Old address: The court documents may have been sent to an old address if you moved and
didn’t update your records. - Old Parking Ticket: Parking Companies are notorious for not checking your address before they
make a claim, they get the DVLA information on the day of the parking offence and people often
move and forget they ever had a ticket, resulting in a CCJ! - Lack of Notification: Some people do not receive the claim form, meaning they miss the
opportunity to respond. This could be a postal error or an issue with living in shared
accommodation where the post can be mislaid. - Identity theft: In rare cases, fraudulent activity could result in a CCJ being issued without your
knowledge. - Missed Payments or Forgotten Debts: A small unpaid bill or debt that you were unaware of may
have escalated into a CCJ. - Administrative Errors: Mistakes in court filings or creditor records can lead to wrongful
judgments.
How to check if you have a CCJ on your credit report
If you think you may have a CCJ issued against your name but have not received the court documents, you can check in the following ways:
- Get a Copy of Your Credit Report
A CCJ will appear on your credit report. You can obtain a free report from some credit agencies to check for any CCJs against your name, however we suggest you use Checkmyfile as they are one of the only services to give a complete credit report, click here for more information. - Search the Register of Judgments
The Register of Judgments, Orders, and Fines keeps records of all CCJs for six years. You can check your status online through TrustOnline (an £8 fee applies). - Contact the County Court
Please be aware the County Courts are very busy, and you are likely to be waiting on the phone for a very long time, over an hour – If you suspect a CCJ was issued but don’t have the case details you must get a copy of your credit file first Checkmyfile the County Court Business Centre (CCBC) can only help if you have the case reference number if you don’t have this you will waste your time.
Steps to Remove a CCJ
Once you confirm that you have a CCJ, you have several options to remove it:
- Apply to Have the CCJ Set Aside
If the CCJ was issued without your knowledge, you can apply to set it aside by completing an N244
form. You may have grounds for this if any of the following items are true.
If they are then this will lead to a court hearing that you will need to attend and present your case to a Judge in person. The claimant will also be invited to attend and may oppose your application. If the court
accepts your application, the CCJ will be removed from your record, and your credit file will be updated accordingly. However if your lose then the court may ask you to pay the claimants costs for dealing with your incorrect application This process is very complex, and expert guidance from professionals like CCJ Removal Service can improve your chances of success.
- You never received the claim form or court documents.
- You had already paid the debt before the CCJ was issued.
- The debt is not yours, or there is a case of mistaken identity.
- There were procedural errors in how the judgment was issued.
- Pay the CCJ Within 30 Days
If you settle the debt in full within 30 days of the judgment date, the CCJ will be removed entirely from your credit file. To ensure removal, you should request a Certificate of Cancellation from the court. This is the fastest and easiest way to remove a CCJ if you are able to pay the debt immediately. If you need help in completing this successfully CCJ Removal Service can help you. - Satisfy the CCJ After 30 Days
If you pay the debt after 30 days, the CCJ remains on your record for six years but will be marked as “satisfied.” While this does not completely remove it, it is better than an “unsatisfied” CCJ in the eyes of lenders. A satisfied CCJ shows that you have taken responsibility for the debt, which will slightly improve your chances of securing credit, albeit at a higher rate of interest as the lender will still consider you higher risk than someone without a CCJ. This also depends on the age of the Judgment as they have a lesser impact the older they are. If you need help in completing this successfully CCJ Removal Service can help you. - Wait for the CCJ to Expire
If you cannot remove or satisfy the CCJ, it will automatically disappear from your credit file after six years. However, lenders may still ask if you have had a CCJ in the past, and it can impact your ability to secure financial products even after it has expired.
How CCJ Removal Service Can Help
Getting a CCJ removed can be a complicated legal process, especially if you were unaware of its existence until recently. We specialise in helping individuals check, challenge and remove CCJs successfully which can help their credit potential enormously.
Our experts can assist with:
- Help you to Check if you have a CCJ and retrieving the case details.
- Applying to the Court for your CCJ to be Set Aside by Consent Order or by making an N244 Application Notice to Court to Set Aside your CCJ
- Negotiating with creditors to agree the terms of Consent Orders to Remove your CCJ
By working with professionals, you can avoid common mistakes and improve your chances of successfully removing a CCJ.
Our team of experts can help you assess, and remove a CCJ, part of which is takiing over the forms required (including the N244) form. Reach out to us for a free assessment – there’s no risk.
Luke Memory F.Inst.Pa, Director of External Affairs at CCJ Removal Services CIC
Why You Should Act Quickly
Having a CCJ can seriously impact your financial opportunities. It can:
- Lower Your Credit Score: You may face higher interest rates due to being seen as a higher risk, even if you are approved at all.
- Cause Difficulty in Renting Property: Landlords and agencies check credit reports before renting to tenants, they cannot get tenants insurance for tenants with a CCJ so will decline your application. Also in London especially there are multiple applications for each property and the letting agent will select the best candidate, your application will be at the very bottom of the pile.
- Impact Employment Opportunities: Some employers, especially in financial sectors, conduct credit checks before hiring and your application will be refused.
The sooner you take action, the greater your chances of removing or minimising the damage caused by a CCJ.
Final Thoughts
Discovering a CCJ on your record can be stressful, but you don’t have to face it alone. By taking the right steps—such as checking your credit file, understanding your options, and seeking expert help from CCJ Removal Service—you can work towards removing the CCJ and improving your financial future.
If you need assistance, don’t wait. Get in touch with professionals who can guide you through the process and help you restore your credit profile today.