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How to tell if you have CCJs

If you don’t know if you have a County Court Judgment you can check Registry Trust’s database of CCJs. This is the official central register of CCJs and you can search it using the Trust Online system.  Your creditors aren’t informed when you check this way.

You may want to find out about CCJs for two reasons:

  • if you have been ignoring your debts for a while and you have moved or thrown away a lot of letters, you may be worried that you have County Court Judgments (CCJs).
  • you may have been refused credit or even a mortgage and been told the reason is that you have a CCJ.

Secret agent searching files in the dar with a torch - how to search for CCJs in secretFind CCJs from your credit record

The simplest way to find out if you have a CCJ is to get a copy of your credit report from any of the three credit reference agencies. That gives an overview of most of your debts, showing defaults, balances and creditor details as well as any CCJs – and it’s free!

But many people worry that accessing your credit record will alert your creditors.  You may want to avoid this if you are very concerned about CCJs and bailiffs.

The good news is that creditors can’t see if you have just looked at your credit record.

The less good news is that signing up to see your credit record may involve giving older addresses so the credit reference agency can identify who you are. Doing this may be adding links to your credit record and those links to old addresses may help a creditor find you.

It’s not clear that you should be worried about this. Creditors have a nasty habit of finding you anyway! It may not feel like it, but it’s usually better to sort out your old debts than for a creditor to get a CCJ against you at an old address. But if you are worried, then there is an alternative: Trust Online.

Check for CCJs on Trust Online

An alternative to looking at your credit records is to use the Trust Online system. You can use this to see if anyone has CCJs – if you have a business and a client is asking for credit, you could use it to see if your client has any CCJs. So you can look at your own records.

One of the disadvantages of Trust Online is that it looks for matches by both name and address. The address is from the court record which shows the address that the creditor provided at the time of the CCJ.

If you have moved several times, you may need to look at several searches as addresses are not linked in the Registry Trust database. Each Trust Online search costs £4 and there are no free ways to do this.

What will you see?

If there is a CCJ for the name/address you searched for you can see the public details: the name of the court, the case number, the date the judgment was made, how much it is for and whether it has been paid (“satisfied”).

A sample report looks like this:

Sample Trust Online r

An example of a Trust Online report

An * by a name or address shows a record where this is a small variation in the spelling – you need to decide if this record is likely to be yours.

As you can see, the search doesn’t show the name of the claimant. The relevant court can tell you this (if you are the defendant) from the case number and date. You can find contact details for the court from this government website.

CCJs remain on the record for six years

CCJs will remain on your credit file and on the Trust Online database for six years after the judgment date. After that, they drop off however they still exist. They never become “statute-barred”, but after six years a claimant has to apply to the court for permission to enforce a CC. It is possible they will get permission, but it is unlikely as it has been so long since the judgment before they have attempted to enforce it.

If a creditor contacts you about a CCJ that is over 6 years old or goes to court to enforce a CCJ which is over six years old, contact National Debtline for advice about your situation.

What if you don’t know what a CCJ is for?

Sometimes finding you have a CCJ comes as a complete surprise – you may have been turned down for a mortgage and other credit and been astonished to find it is because there is a CCJ on your credit record.

Finding out the details from Trust Online as described above will give you a case number and which court. You can then contact the court and get the details of the judgment – this will give more information about the original debt and the current creditor.

Then you need to contact the creditor and say you know nothing about this debt. I am afraid you are probably going to have to apply to the court for the CCJ to be “set aside” which will cost you £255, but this may be waived if you are on benefits or a very low income.  I suggest calling National Debtline if you need help with applying for a set aside.

If you do know what the CCJ is for

You need to get a plan to deal with not just this CCJ but your other debts as well.

Unless you only have a couple of debts, it is usually a mistake to try to deal with them individually without trying to get the full picture first. If you decide the only CCJ you currently have is a priority and you make an offer to vary the CCJ, offering a monthly payment you can afford (see this article for details about how to do this using form N245), what will you do if another creditor goes to court for a CCJ?

CCJs may sound like the most urgent debts, but you need a complete list of your debts (even if it means getting your credit records and possibly alerting your creditors) and an Income / Expenditure sheet to be able to decide what to do.  So get that “Financial Selfie” and then look at the roadmap of potential debt options and decide which one will work for you:

take a financial selfie

how to take a Financial Selfie

A roadmap of possible debt solutions

A roadmap of possible debt solutions

Other articles about CCJs

Other articles about CCJs

Author: Sara Williams Tagged With:

Comments

  1. Hello there

    I received a letter from a company which offers services to trace people generally but they specialise in debt. They do not state why they want to trace me. I did however have some money problems well over 15 years ago, some of which could be potentially outstanding. I have had no contact with any company, nor paid any money, for this entire period and have moved house twice. I have no CCJs on my credit report for this address. Does this sound like a statute barred situation? Any advice appreciated.

    Thank you

    Reply

      • Hi. I checked on Trust Online and there are no CCJs registered at my old address where the issues took place or at my new one. (The address I had in between was simply me sofa-surfing for a few weeks at a friend’s house, it was never registered officially with anyone)

        I understand, however, that it is possible that a CCJ from that long ago (presumably filed before 2006?) would stop being listed after six years (2012). If one does exist, what might happen next?

        Thanks for your assistance

        Reply

        • A CCJ over 6 years old will no longer be listed. It isn’t statute barred, but the creditor would need to go back to court to be able to enforce it, phone National Debtline 0808 808 4000 for more details.

          Reply

  2. Hi
    I had a loan & a credit card which I stopped paying in 2008 ex boyfriend used! I moved and changed my name by deed poll. I am now in the process of applying for a mortgage. There is nothing on my Experian report but I am unable to access my equifax report, I tried with my new details and it said to contact them. Which I haven’t but I’m very worried because they will have my new contact details. Also will this affect my credit check for a mortgage??

    Reply

    • You can check for any CCJs at previous addresses using the Trust Online system mentioned in the above article. But the only way to be sure what a mortgage lender would see if they used equifax is to give them your new contact details.

      Reply

  3. Hi.
    I have recently received a letter from a debt recovery company for a debt that I don’t recognise & also claiming there is CCJ against it. It’s addressed to a person with a similar name (first & last names) as myself, only the name on the letter has a double barrelled surname. I registered with a credit score company a while back but am not in the habit of checking it, but lo & behold, when I’ve checked it recently, there’s this CCJ showing on there against a previous address I used to live at. The CCJ was issued back in 2014 when I wasn’t living at that address so if any post went there I wouldn’t know about it.. I think someone I had lodging with me at the time may have used my details to obtain a mobile phone contract but I can’t be sure as I’ve lost all contact with them. Any advice on how I can get this cleared?

    Reply

    • I suggest you talk to National Debtline 0808 808 4000 about how to get this CCJ “set aside”. Once this is done, the creditor may then restart the CCJ process but at that point you will get the papers and can defend the case. National Debtline can talk about this defence too.

      Reply

  4. Hi, due to difficult personal circumstances I had to return to Australia back in 2008 and maxed out a credit card (£1500 limit) I’d only just been offered by my UK bank in order to be able to leave. I have not made a single repayment and I left the UK in 2008. I’ve not heard anything about it since, nor do I have any county court judgements going by searches I’ve done (not yet done an actual credit report check, am worried about giving my details). Now in 2017 I’m involved with my English partner and we are considering returning to the UK. I am a dual citizen with an EU passport, with which I was living & working in the UK back then – obviously after Brexit I’d be coming back as the Australian spouse of my English partner. Given I’ve heard nothing in all this time & there’s no CCJ that I can find, I wonder what I might expect when I return. Could you please advise? Thank you!

    Reply

    • If there was no CCJ, the debt should be statute barred by now, see https://debtcamel.co.uk/statute-barred-debt/.

      If there was a CCJ in the last 6 years you should be able to see it on your credit record and it would still be enforceable.

      If there was a CCJ more than 6 years ago, then you won’t find it on Registry Trust or your credit records. But the creditor would have to go back to court to try to enforce it after 6 years and that is very rare.

      I suggest you and your partner don’t have ANYTHING to do with the UK bank the credit card came from, either when you return or ever in the future.

      Reply

      • Actually Sara, it was an overdraft, not a credit card. My mistake, so long ago! Can I ask, does that change matters??
        Thank you,
        Rob

        Reply

        • It can take a lot longer for an overdraft to become statute barred – because there is no set payment each month, a bank can’t tell when you have defaulted. You could talk to National Debtline about this if you find out this is still on your credit record when you return to the UK.

          Reply

  5. Hi there – I went through some relationship and debt problems and stopped paying my credit cards and loans in 2010 and ended up leaving the UK to work in South America for several years. I have come back now and am trying to get a job as a financial advisor.

    My credit report is clear as I think any bad debt/CCJ’s have fallen off the report – do you think they can find out about my problems in the past as I’m really worried?

    Thanks

    Reply

    • You may be OK if your current credit records show your old address. The problem is if there is a CCJ for one of these for your old address which hasn’t got linked through to your new one… have you checked on Trust Online to see if you had any CCJs at your old address?

      Reply

    • Thanks very much for the prompt response , it’s really appreciated – debt has caused me so much pain and anxiety . I just checked with trust online now and there’s nothing there. I’ve checked all 3 credit agencies and everything is clear.

      I didn’t mention I had a house repossessed too, could that be a problem?

      Many thanks

      Reply

  6. Hi Sara, I access my free credit report monthly via Noodle. As I am already registered with Noodle, it never asks my current address etc.
    You said accessing credit report may alert creditors. Do creditors get alert only when you register for Noodle for the first time?

    Reply

    • Creditors don’t get alerted when you check your credit record, even if it is the first time. But when you provide an address, that gets added to your credit records and that can sometimes help a creditor find you if they are trying to trace you.

      If your Noddle report doesn’t have your current address and your previous addresses, it may not be complete.

      Reply

  7. I have a 4 year old CCJ, rang the court and they told me it was for Shop direct and that Lowell now own it. I have now paid the debt and asked Lowell about the CCJ but they state that the debt wasn’t a CCJ. Do I just send the evidence that I have paid the debt to county court in the hope that it is the right debt I have paid off. I only ever had 2 shop direct accounts and Lowell owned them both and I have paid them both off

    Reply

  9. I had debt which I had consolidated into a debt management plan. I had been paying this up until 2011 when I left the UK. Once I left, I stopped paying. I don’t know if any letters were still sent and I have not had contacted with them during this time. I have checked and I don’t have any CCJs. I haven’t yet checked my credit report. I am now considering returning to the UK and want to know how this may effect me, in particular if I look to rent a house. Will they do a credit check and could this effect me being able to rent?

    Reply

  10. Hello, I have quite an odd question.
    In October 2014 I made Barclaycard for 800£ when I was student, and I used 700 off it to pay for Uni books and only paid back about 200 before falling behind with payments due to loss of employment. Barclaycard closed my account right after I changed address, before I actually got to update it with them.
    I never heard from them since, I was never registered with Experian, and have changed 2 addreses since due to jobs, and other familly issues. I forgot everything about that year as my worst period of life. But now I decided to check my Uni e-mail address after almost 3 years and dug up a bait e-mail I received from a DCA in december 2017, apparently for that debt.
    Just today, I’ve updated my Barclays current account (not Barclaycard) address to my current address. Will the DCA be able to track my address as of now? I’m just doing a finance clear-up so I can start working on my credit score ( that is my only ever credit card/loan debt). But, I would like to start paying them after September when I am due a 200£/month payrise to my monthly wage, after probation period.
    I don’t want to hide, I just want to time things properly so I don’t end up making other debts. Also, would I be able to negociate a monthly payment with them rather than a full sum? Something that’s at most 50£/month?
    Thank you so much for your advice.

    Reply

    • Updating your bank account address is likely to result in the bank updating your address with credit reference agencies such as Experian.

      Why not get in touch with the DCA and offer them £50 a month if that is what you can afford at the moment?

      Reply

  11. I’m not sure I have any CCJs just yet, in all honesty I was too afraid to check. Which is the best way to check that outside of Experian? Don’t want to give out any unnecessary information just yet. Not until I know what I’m dealing with. I mean, it’s been some years since I lost track of that debt, and yes, I do despise my self for it. Depression and anxiety can run you through some pretty stupid choices, and your brain tend to muffle out things that terrify you if you haven’t been in contact with them. However now I just want to take everything up in a calculated and responsible manner. I’ve started a career for myself, I’m going towards better, and want to slowly clear all of my stupid choices while I was in University.

    Thank you,
    George

    Reply

  12. Hello,

    I was required to make a CCJ payment last year, which I made in full and within the one-month period. I disclosed this to a would-be employer and the problem is that they have been unable to find a record of either my judgment or payment. I have tried several searches on trustonline.org.uk and am also not able to find any record of my judgement or payment.

    Immediately after I made the payment (using the automated telephone service) I sent an email to the relevant HMCTS office asking them to confirm receipt of my payment, which they provided in their reply to my email. I can also see on my bank statement that the payment was made.

    I think what has happened is that I supplied the incorrect address to the court, as I was staying at a friend’s house at the time and I think I misstated their address.

    Do you have any advice as to how I might be able to obtain a formal record of my judgement/payment, given that I cannot precisely recall what address was provided? I do have a record of the Case Number.

    Many thanks in advance for any thoughts that you may have

    Kindly,

    Jim

    Reply

    • If you have the case number then I would have thought that is enough for the court to send you a copy of the judgment which would have the address on.

      Reply

  13. Hi,

    I defaulted on an overdraft on February 2013. I paid the debt off in full on January 2017.

    Will the default drop off in March 2019?

    Credit score is good on equifax, very poor on noodle, fair on expiran. Got a credit card paying in full each month with a good utilisation%.

    Hoping to see an improvement in march.

    Reply

  14. Hi Sara,

    I have been paying off a debt for almost 2 years to Mortimer Clarke Solicitors who are acting on behalf of a debt company. We have a Tomlinson order in place and I only hbe 2 payments left to make.

    Mortimer Clarke have now contacted me about a different debt for exactly the same amount as the last one and saying there is a outstanding CCj for this debt. However, it’s not on either my credit file or the Trust Registry as I have checked. The debt was for a Credit Card with CitiFinancial and my last payment was made in October 2004. I want to be able to check if there is a CCJ about this debt that is over 6 years old. Is that possible and if not if they take me back to court to enforce the CCj can I dispute this and if so on what grounds.

    Many thanks Sara.

    Reply

  15. Hello, my husband has been refused finance to buy a car. They found a CCJ apparently. About a year ago a water company gave us a wrong bill and we got to the bottom of the problem and the apologised and assured us that they CCJ they had issued us was to be removed. My husband had spoken to the legal dept and we felt happy as they were very helpful and reassuring. So for this finance company to find a CCJ has been very shocking and has cost us a lot of money as we travelled from Cornwall to Liverpool to pick up a car, to be told last minute that finance hadn’t come through. Would you be able to advise me please as I am sure I am due some sort of compensation from the water company. We have found out that another company will lend us money, not as good a deal, but we can at least go back to pick our car up. But the trouble this has caused……..Thank you. Vivienne Clifton

    Reply

    • I am sorry but you should really have followed this up at the time if the Water Company agreed to “remove” the CCJ. Did you have anything in writing from them?

      Reply

  16. Hi, thanks for the reply. My husband did at the time and they removed it, he is pretty sure that he had emails regarding the matter from them so will check on that. Unfortunately though most of the communications were on the phone. If he has nothing in writing does this mean we have no chance of claiming anything from them?
    Vivienne

    Reply

    • If he has dates of the phone calls that will help. But even without these he should go back and put in a formal WRITTEN complaint to the water company saying that they agreed the default was an errors and agreed to remove it and the CCJ.

      But in future, always get things in writing – and always check to see someone has done what they said they would!

      Reply

  17. He is checking when hes back at work as he thinks he may have emails. He doesn’t have dates of calls. I have written a letter of complaint to the company to send but wanted to hear your opinion. Thanks very much.
    Vivienne

    Reply

  18. I’m wondering whether you can help. I took out a mobile phone contract with O2 approximately 2006
    Because they failed to set up my contract properly and my billing details, I cancelled the contract. I was notified approximately 5 years ago that there was a CCJ issued. I made the payment direct to the court via telephone and assumed this had gone away. I have since received another letter from Lowell who is assume has taken over the debt threatening me with CCJ action again. I have checked on trust pilot and paid £6 for this report. This has came back with a response stating nothing is held under my details. I have not moved home and I have not changed any of my details. This letter came addressed to Mr and I am actually Miss. I’m concerned at this letter states they can contact my employer for detachment of earnings. I work in the public sector so this will have an extremely detrimental affect on my job. Any advice please. Thanks

    Reply

  19. hi was wondering if you could help in 2008 i lost my home. At the time i had quite a lot of other debt credit cards i was homeless for a number of years and have been in my rented property for 3 years out of the blue yesterday i received a letter from mortimer clarke solicitors stating i had an outstanding debt to black horse for a credit card of £2473.70. The letter says they have been told a county court judgement was obtained at the time in relation to the debt. I have no knowledge of the ccj and to be honest can not remember a lot from 11 years ago. I have tried to look for ccj but cant find it. Would be grateful for any advice .

    Reply

    • A CCJ that is more than 6 years old can’t be enforced without permission from the court – which is VERY rare. I suggest you talk to national Debtline on 0808 808 4000 about what you can do about this.

      Reply

  20. Hello,
    6 years ago I left UK without closing my current bank account. My account was nil. Only 2 activities; a childcare support income (£80pcm) and a utility bill payment order which I cancelled a month later through online banking. I recently decided to go back to living in the UK. I called the bank when I remembered my unclosed bank accounts, they told me the account has gone to a DCA.
    Two questions;
    – Will I be stopped at the border while entering or leaving? Asked to pay full sum at once?
    – If I check the amount through Trustonline, will I alert DCA? note that I am not living in the UK. So I wont be able to give current UK address.

    Thank you for your time
    Eli

    Reply

    • No you won’t be stopped at the border – debt is a civil issue not a criminal one.

      It’s not clear to me why you owe any money at all.

      Reply

  21. Hello Sara, thank you for the quick response. I can think of 3 possibilities
    – Child support might have thought they overpaid me and reclaimed money from my account, making me go overdraft
    – Utility bill might have had one final payment. Making me go overdraft
    – Bank annual charges or agreed overdraft fees applied (some £5 each month as far as I remember)

    Either way the original debt shouldnt be more than £200 but over the years, especially if its an overdraft, I am worried that it might be well over 40k
    Thanks again

    Reply

    • I don’t think that is likely! Why don’t you ask the bank for a statement of the account, showing what was passed to a debt collector.

      Reply

  22. Unfortunately the bank refused to give me any information and told me contact the DCA. But I am afraid to alert them. So I am trying other ways to find out the amount

    Reply

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