Judgment date
Record the date on the judgment, not just when you first discovered it. If it has been paid, note the payment date separately.
Mortgage advice after a court judgment
Mortgage with CCJs
If a County Court judgment is affecting your mortgage plans, start by checking the details. Count Ready can help you assess the options before you apply.
A mortgage may be possible, but the judgment, your wider finances and the property must meet the lender’s requirements. Acceptance is not guaranteed.
Your initial consultation is free. Fees for further mortgage work are agreed before chargeable work begins. Read about fees.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.
Can I get a mortgage with a CCJ?
A CCJ does not automatically prevent a mortgage. Lenders differ in how they treat judgments, including their age, amount and payment status. Your income, commitments, deposit or equity and the rest of your credit history also need to be acceptable. Some circumstances may leave no suitable option at present.
“CCJ mortgage” describes a mortgage application involving this credit history. It is not a separate product with a standard rate, deposit or approval rule.
There is little value in choosing a lender from a general acceptance list without checking the details of your case. An adviser can review the relevant criteria and explain whether an application is appropriate.
What will the lender check about your CCJ?
The judgment date and the date it was paid answer different questions. Providing both, with the current record, helps avoid an assessment based on incomplete information.
Amount and outstanding balance
Give the original judgment amount and what remains payable. Include agreed instalments so the adviser can understand the ongoing commitment.
Status and supporting documents
Check whether the record is satisfied, unpaid, cancelled or set aside. A payment receipt and a court order show different things; keep the relevant evidence.
Other credit problems
Disclose all judgments and any defaults, arrears or debt arrangements. A CCJ and a default can relate to the same account, but both records need explaining.
Income and household spending
Your present earnings, regular bills and debt payments affect affordability. Explain any changes since the judgment, including continuing financial pressure.
Deposit, equity and property
The amount you need to borrow, available deposit or equity and the proposed property also affect the application. A larger deposit alone does not establish eligibility.
Paid, unpaid or removed: what is the difference?
Paid in full within one month
For an England and Wales judgment, paying the full amount within one month of the judgment date allows you to have it removed from the register. Tell the court and provide proof from the person or business you paid.
Check that the register and your credit reports have been updated. Do not assume the record has changed immediately after payment.
Paid in full after one month
You can have the judgment marked as satisfied. This records that it has been paid, but the entry normally remains for six years from the judgment date.
The date of satisfaction may also matter to a lender. Keep confirmation of payment and any certificate of satisfaction.
Still outstanding
An unsatisfied judgment has not been recorded as paid in full. It may still be outstanding, or the record may need updating after payment.
If you are paying by instalments, provide the order, current balance and payments. A lender’s treatment of an unpaid judgment needs checking; there is no universal acceptance rule.
GOV.UK explains payment, registration and certificates (opens in a new tab). A certificate of cancellation after prompt payment is different from a court order setting a judgment aside.
Do I have to wait six years for a mortgage?
No fixed six-year waiting period applies to every mortgage application with a CCJ. The six-year period concerns how a judgment is recorded. A lender may consider some cases sooner, while an older judgment does not guarantee acceptance.
Ask for an assessment based on the judgment and satisfaction dates, what has happened since and your finances now. Waiting may change the options, but it cannot promise a particular rate or future offer.
Keep following the court order and any agreed payments. A record leaving a credit report does not itself mean that the debt has been cleared.
More about credit-file reporting periods (opens in a new tab)
How will a CCJ affect the deposit and mortgage costs?
Deposit and borrowing amount
The deposit required depends on the application, lender and property. A larger deposit reduces the proportion being borrowed, but it cannot replace an affordability assessment or override a lender’s credit rules.
Your borrowing also depends on the income a lender accepts, regular spending, existing debt payments and the term. Avoid relying on a simple salary multiple or treating an online calculator as approval.
Deposit guidance for bad credit mortgages (opens in a new tab)
Rates, fees and monthly payments
A judgment can reduce lender choice and may mean a higher interest rate or different terms. Compare the full cost, including product and adviser fees, legal and valuation charges and any early repayment charge.
Plan for a payment you can sustain. Extending the term may reduce the monthly amount but increase overall interest, and a cheaper remortgage later is not certain.
Understanding bad credit mortgage rates (opens in a new tab)
Buying a home, moving or remortgaging with a CCJ
First-time buyers (opens in a new tab)
Prepare the judgment information before relying on a borrowing estimate. Allow for purchase costs as well as the deposit, and check what further evidence is needed before committing to a property.
Remortgage customers (opens in a new tab)
Review any options from your current lender alongside switching lenders. Bring your balance, deal end date, property value and any charges for leaving the existing deal.
Moving home
An existing mortgage does not guarantee approval for a new property or extra borrowing. Porting your current deal (opens in a new tab) involves lender checks, so discuss the CCJ before relying on that route.
Self-employed applicants (opens in a new tab)
Explain whether the judgment is against you personally or a business. Provide the order and available income evidence so both the credit issue and the business finances can be assessed.
Documents to prepare for CCJ mortgage advice
- The judgment: court name, claim reference, date, amount and whose name is on the order.
- Payment evidence: confirmation from the claimant, the payment date and any court certificate or order.
- Current credit reports: check judgment entries, addresses, linked accounts and any other adverse records.
- A short explanation: what led to the claim, when you became aware of it and what has changed since.
- Your mortgage figures: purchase price or property value, deposit or equity, income and regular commitments.
The lender may ask for further documents. You do not need to upload sensitive court or account information in the callback form.
How Count Ready can help you decide what to do
The first conversation is a chance to explain your plans and the judgment. An adviser can identify missing information, review relevant mortgage criteria and discuss the costs of any suitable route.
If applying is not appropriate now, ask what would need to change. An agreement in principle is an initial indication; a formal offer still depends on the lender’s full checks, including the property.
Count Ready provides mortgage and protection advice. Our service excludes deals available only by going directly to a lender. Read about the business (opens in a new tab) and our Terms of Business (opens in a new tab) for the scope and basis of the service.
CCJ mortgage questions
Can I apply for a mortgage while paying a CCJ in instalments?
An instalment arrangement does not make the judgment satisfied before the full amount has been paid. A lender will consider its policy on outstanding judgments and include the payment commitment in its assessment. Keep to the court order and seek debt advice if the payments are unaffordable; a mortgage application is not a reason to stop paying.
What if I only discovered the CCJ after a mortgage was declined?
Obtain the judgment details and check the address, date, amount and claimant. Ask the lender what caused the decline, as there may be other issues. If you did not receive the claim or believe the judgment is wrong, seek prompt advice about your court options before relying on another mortgage application.
Will a CCJ for an unpaid parking charge be ignored?
Do not assume a judgment will be disregarded because it arose from a parking charge or a relatively small debt. Supply the court record, amount, date and payment status. The adviser needs to check the lender’s actual criteria and the rest of your credit history.
Does a CCJ in my partner’s name affect a joint application?
Both applicants are assessed for a joint mortgage, so a judgment against one person can affect the options. Tell the adviser whose name appears on the order and whether anyone else is liable. The other person’s good credit record does not remove the judgment or guarantee approval.
Can a mortgage broker arrange for my CCJ to be set aside?
A mortgage broker can explain what evidence a lender needs, but a set-aside application is a court matter. Appropriate legal or debt advice is needed on the grounds and process. The court decides the outcome; applying does not mean the judgment has already been removed.
Do I still need to mention a CCJ after it leaves my credit report?
Answer the lender’s questions as they are asked. Some questions may concern events beyond the period shown on your report. Do not assume that an expired entry can be left out of every application, or that its disappearance proves that the underlying debt has been paid.
Talk through your CCJ and mortgage plans
Tell us whether you are buying or remortgaging, roughly when the judgment was made and whether it has been paid. We can discuss what information is needed next.
Keep claim references, bank details and full court documents out of the callback message. Your adviser can explain how to provide supporting evidence.
A callback request does not submit a mortgage application or secure an offer.
Initial consultation is free; fees for further work are agreed in advance. Read the fee explanation and our Privacy Policy (opens in a new tab).
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.