Finding a rental property with a CCJ on your credit file can feel like an uphill battle. Most letting agents and landlords run credit checks as part of their standard referencing process, and a County Court Judgment will almost always show up. But does a CCJ automatically bar you from renting in England?
Not necessarily. This guide explains what landlords actually see when they check your credit, how a CCJ affects your rental application, and what you can do about it, including whether CCJ removal is the right step for you.
What Do Landlords Check When You Apply to Rent?
Most private landlords and letting agents use a tenant referencing service to vet applicants before agreeing to a tenancy. These checks typically cover:
- A credit check, run against one or more of the three main credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
- Income verification, usually requiring 2.5 to 3 times the monthly rent in gross income
- Employment history, evidenced by employer references or payslips
- Rental history, including references from a previous landlord if applicable
The credit check is where a CCJ becomes visible. County Court Judgments in England and Wales are held on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, which is maintained by Registry Trust and accessible to credit reference agencies. If you have an unsatisfied CCJ from the past six years, it will appear on your credit report.
Does a CCJ Automatically Fail a Tenant Credit Check?
Not automatically, but it creates a significant obstacle.
Many referencing services use a scoring system, and a CCJ is one of the most damaging entries on a credit file. In a competitive rental market, a landlord receiving several applications may simply move on to the next candidate rather than investigate further.
That said, the actual outcome depends on a number of factors:
- How old is the CCJ? A judgment from five years ago is viewed differently from one issued six months ago.
- Has the CCJ been satisfied? A satisfied CCJ (where the debt was paid after judgment) still appears on your credit file, but is generally treated more favourably than an unsatisfied one.
- What is the CCJ amount? A judgment for a few hundred pounds may be weighted differently from one for several thousand.
- Has the CCJ been removed? A formally set-aside CCJ is deleted from the register altogether. It will not appear on any credit check.
Can a Landlord Legally Refuse to Rent to You Because of a CCJ?
Yes. In England and Wales, landlords are not obliged to rent to any particular applicant. Refusing a tenancy on the basis of a CCJ is not discrimination under the Equality Act 2010, because CCJ status is not a protected characteristic under that legislation.
Letting agents operating on behalf of landlords are equally entitled to fail a reference on credit grounds. Their pass/fail thresholds are usually set by the landlord or by the landlord’s insurance provider, particularly where rent guarantee insurance is in place.
Your Options If You Have a CCJ
1. Find a More Flexible Landlord
Private landlords renting without a letting agent are often more willing to discuss a CCJ directly. Some will accept a larger deposit, a guarantor, or rent paid several months in advance in lieu of a clean credit file.
Local housing associations and councils cannot refuse social housing purely on the basis of a CCJ, though a history of rent arrears is treated separately and may still affect your application.
2. Use a Guarantor
Many letting agents will accept a guarantor even where a credit check has failed. A guarantor agrees to cover rent if you default, and will typically need to pass their own credit check and income assessment. This is one of the most commonly used workarounds for tenants with adverse credit.
3. Provide a Written Explanation
You can write a short covering letter to the landlord explaining the CCJ: when it arose, whether it is satisfied, and what has changed since. Not all landlords will entertain this, but some will appreciate the transparency, particularly for longer-term tenancies where they have more to gain from a reliable tenant.
4. Get the CCJ Removed
This is the most effective long-term solution. Once a CCJ is formally set aside, it is removed from the Register of Judgments and from your credit file entirely. Future credit checks, including tenant referencing, will show nothing.
There are two main routes to CCJ removal in England and Wales:
The Two Routes to CCJ Removal
Consent Order (No Hearing Required) – Court Fee: £123
If the original creditor agrees to the judgment being set aside, a Consent Order can be submitted to the court without you needing to attend a hearing. Both parties sign a written agreement, and a judge approves it on the papers.
- Court fee: £123
- Hearing: Not required
- Typical timescale: Around 12 weeks from start to removal
- Best for: Cases where the creditor agrees the CCJ should be removed, or where a settlement is reached
This is the faster and more cost-effective route. Learn more on our CCJ removal service page.
N244 Application Notice (With Court Hearing) – Court Fee: £313
If the creditor does not consent, you can apply to set aside the judgment using an N244 Application Notice. This triggers a court hearing at which a judge decides whether to grant the set aside.
- Court fee: £313
- Hearing: Required
- Typical timescale: 4 or more months; up to 9 to 12 months in London and busier court areas
- Best for: Contested applications, or where you have a strong legal argument the creditor will not concede
The N244 Application Notice is available on GOV.UK. Court fees are set by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and are subject to change. The figures above were correct as of August 2026.
At CCJ Removal Services, we assess which route is right for your circumstances and manage the application on your behalf. You do not need to deal with the paperwork or attend court alone. Request a free assessment here.
How Long Does a CCJ Stay on Your Credit File?
A CCJ remains on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for six years from the date it was issued, regardless of whether it has been paid. After six years, it is automatically removed.
A satisfied CCJ, where the debt was paid after the judgment was made, is marked as satisfied on both the register and your credit file. It is treated more favourably than an unsatisfied judgment, but it still shows for the full six-year period.
Only a formal set aside, where the court grants an order removing the judgment, deletes the entry before the six years are up. You can read more about this in our guide to CCJs on GOV.UK, and in our detailed post on how long a CCJ stays on your record.
Is It Worth Removing a CCJ Just to Pass a Rental Check?
It depends on your timeline. CCJ removal is not instant. The Consent Order route takes around 12 weeks, and the N244 route considerably longer. If you need a rental property within the next few weeks, removal may not resolve your immediate problem.
However, if you are planning ahead, removing a CCJ before you start your rental search puts you in a substantially stronger position. You will pass standard referencing with no adverse credit entry on your file, and you will have far more choice of properties at competitive rents.
CCJ removal also carries benefits beyond renting. It improves your position for mortgage applications, car finance, mobile phone contracts, credit cards, and bank accounts. For most people, the cost of removal, plus the court fee, is a worthwhile investment compared to the cumulative impact of six years with a CCJ on record.
Find out whether your CCJ can be removed with a free no-obligation assessment.
What If the CCJ Was Issued in Error?
If you were not properly notified of the original court claim, because the papers were sent to an old or incorrect address, that is grounds for the judgment to be set aside. This is one of the most straightforward bases for a CCJ removal application, and courts take it seriously because it means the defendant was denied a fair opportunity to respond.
Similarly, if you had a valid defence to the claim that was never heard because you did not know about the proceedings, the court can set aside the judgment and allow the matter to be heard properly.
If you believe your CCJ was issued incorrectly, you should take action before the six-year period expires. The older the judgment, the harder it becomes to argue urgency before a court. Contact CCJ Removal Services for a free assessment.
Please note: CCJ Removal Services is not a firm of solicitors and does not provide legal advice. This guide is intended as general information only. For legal representation or legal advice, please consult a qualified solicitor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a landlord see my CCJ when they run a credit check?
Yes. County Court Judgments in England and Wales are recorded on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines and are accessible to credit reference agencies including Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Most tenant referencing services check against this register as a standard part of the process.
Will paying off my CCJ help me pass a tenant credit check?
It helps, but does not remove the problem entirely. A satisfied CCJ (paid after judgment) is marked differently on your credit file and is generally viewed more favourably by referencing agencies. However, it still appears for the full six years. Only a formal set aside removes the entry altogether.
How long does CCJ removal take if I want to pass a rental check?
The Consent Order route typically takes around 12 weeks from start to the CCJ being removed from the register. The N244 route, which requires a court hearing, takes 4 months or more. In busier courts such as those covering London, it can take 9 to 12 months. If you need to pass a reference check urgently, speak to us first so we can assess your realistic options.
Can a council or housing association refuse me a home because of a CCJ?
Local councils and housing associations cannot automatically refuse social housing on the basis of a CCJ alone. However, a history of rent arrears, which may have led to the CCJ in the first place, can affect your priority for social housing. Each council has its own allocations policy, so it is worth checking directly with your local authority.
What if my CCJ was for a debt at an old address I no longer lived at?
If the court claim was sent to an address where you no longer lived, and you did not receive it, you may have strong grounds to have the CCJ set aside. This is one of the most common reasons CCJs are challenged successfully. The key point is that you were denied the opportunity to defend the claim. Contact us and we can assess your position.
Does CCJ Removal Services offer a guarantor service?
No. We specialise in the formal legal process of having CCJs set aside through the courts. If you need a guarantor arrangement, this is something to discuss directly with your prospective landlord or letting agent. We focus on removing the CCJ itself, which is the most durable long-term solution.
Is CCJ Removal Services regulated by the SRA or FCA?
No. CCJ Removal Services is not a firm of solicitors and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). We are a specialist advisory and application service. We do not provide legal advice. If you require legal representation, you should seek advice from a qualified solicitor.