More than one credit issue
Can I get a mortgage with a CCJ and a default?
It may be possible, but both entries need to be understood together. Their dates, amounts and payment status matter, alongside the mortgage you can afford.
By Count Ready · Updated
Check what each entry actually records
Having both a CCJ and a default does not automatically rule out a mortgage. It can restrict your choices, and satisfying a lender’s rule for one entry does not establish that the whole application meets its requirements.
A default is an account record
It records a breakdown in the credit agreement, rather than a court decision. Note the original default date, creditor, balance and whether the account has been settled.
A CCJ is a court judgment
Record the judgment date and amount, the claimant and whether it is outstanding or satisfied. A court may have become involved after an account had already defaulted.
Put the dates and evidence in order
Create a short note for each debt. You do not need to write a lengthy account of every difficult month.
- Identify the account. Record the original creditor and any later debt owner, with the documents that connect them.
- List the events. Include the default date, judgment date and dates of any payments or settlement.
- Explain the circumstances. Briefly describe what happened, what changed and whether any difficulties remain.
- Check the present position. Record the confirmed balance, any agreed repayment and what the latest reports show.
How to obtain your credit reports (opens in a new tab) · Preparing an explanation for a mortgage application (opens in a new tab)
How the combined history affects the assessment
A lender may set conditions for each type of entry and for the wider pattern of borrowing. Your adviser needs to check the full criteria, including any limits that apply across applicants.
Dates, amounts and status
An older settled default alongside a recent unpaid judgment is a different case from two older settled entries. There is no universal waiting period after which both become acceptable.
Current commitments
Remaining debts and agreed repayments need to be included in the affordability discussion. Explain any recent missed payments as well as the older entries.
Deposit and property
A larger deposit reduces the proportion you need to borrow, but it cannot override every credit restriction. Property suitability and your ability to maintain repayments still matter.
Lenders publish different policies and may offer different product ranges. For example, Atom’s residential criteria (opens in a new tab) distinguish credit history, affordability and application stages. This is a source illustrating the checks involved, not a recommendation of that lender or confirmation that your case qualifies.
What if you have paid one or both debts?
Obtain confirmation of the amount paid, the date and whether anything remains owed. If the entries concern one debt, ask how payment has been reflected in each record.
Payment and removal are different. Paying a judgment in full within one month of its date can allow its register entry to be removed; paying later normally allows it to be marked satisfied. That does not automatically remove a separate default entry.
Check CCJ payment and correction routes (opens in a new tab) · Official CCJ reporting guidance (opens in a new tab)
Match the conversation to your mortgage plans
Buying your first home or moving
Discuss the intended price, deposit source and buying costs. If you are moving, include your existing mortgage and any repayment charge; do not assume the current deal can simply move with you.
Remortgaging
Tell your adviser when the current deal ends and whether you want extra borrowing. Changing lender and changing products with your existing lender can involve different checks.
Applying with someone else
Show which applicant each entry belongs to and identify joint accounts. A partner’s stronger credit history does not erase the other applicant’s records.
Self-employed income
Prepare current business and personal income evidence alongside the credit timeline. Your trading position needs assessment separately from the explanation of past debts.
Decide the next step before making applications
Bring current reports, the timeline and a realistic budget to an initial conversation. An adviser can identify missing evidence and consider whether a lender’s current criteria appear suitable.
If a record needs correction, resolve the discrepancy with the responsible organisation. If waiting is being considered, agree what specific change would justify another review rather than assuming a particular anniversary guarantees acceptance.
Before proceeding, ask about the proposed mortgage’s total costs, the adviser’s fees, any credit search and what remains subject to underwriting. An initial indication is not a mortgage offer.
Explore Count Ready’s bad credit mortgage advice (opens in a new tab)
Questions about having a CCJ and a default
Does a CCJ linked to a default count as two debts?
Not necessarily. Two entries can concern different stages of one debt, but the records need checking. Give your adviser the account and judgment details so the connection can be explained. Do not assume a lender will ignore either entry or apply the same counting rules as another lender.
Can I apply if one entry is settled and the other is not?
An adviser can review that situation, but the reason for the different statuses matters. It could reflect separate debts, a remaining balance or an update that has not reached a report. Confirm what was paid and when before relying on either status in an application.
Is there a minimum deposit for a mortgage with both issues?
There is no single deposit percentage that secures acceptance across lenders. The available borrowing depends on the combined credit history, affordability, property and current products. Ask for an assessment using the deposit you can actually provide, after allowing for purchase costs and essential spending.
Will both entries disappear on the same date?
Do not assume so. A default is normally reported for six years from its default date, while a CCJ normally has its own six-year period from the judgment date. If the judgment came later, the expected reporting end dates can differ. Removal of one entry does not establish that the other is wrong.
What if my mortgage application has already been declined?
Ask for the main reason and check whether the lender had accurate details of both entries. Share the decision and your current reports with an adviser before making another application. A different lender may reach a different decision, but a decline does not establish that another application will succeed.
Does an agreement in principle confirm I can get the mortgage?
No. It is an initial indication, subject to the lender’s conditions and further checks. The full application can involve additional credit, income and property assessment. Ask what type of credit search will be made at each stage, and tell your adviser about any change in your finances.
Discuss both entries with a mortgage adviser
Let us know whether you are buying or remortgaging and whether the entries appear to concern the same debt. You can explain the details during the conversation.
Requesting a callback does not commit you to applying for a mortgage.
Your initial mortgage consultation is free. Ask for written details of the fees for any further work and when they become payable; chargeable work is agreed beforehand.
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