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Adverse credit

Mortgage with a CCJ

A county court judgment (CCJ) on your credit file does not automatically mean no mortgage. Lenders usually look at whether it has been paid, how much it was for, how long ago it was registered and what else your file shows. This guide explains how those facts tend to be weighed, for buying, remortgaging and buy-to-let. It is general information from Property Money Limited — not advice and not a personal recommendation.

Can I get a mortgage with a CCJ?

Often the honest answer is “possibly, depending on the detail”. A CCJ is a court order to repay a debt, and lenders treat it as a serious marker because it shows a debt reached court. But it is one fact among many. Some high-street lenders may consider an older, smaller CCJ that has been paid. Others will decline any CCJ at all. Specialist lenders exist largely for cases the high street turns away, usually at a higher cost.

The useful question is not “does anyone lend to people with a CCJ?” but whether this CCJ, on this application, at this deposit, fits criteria a lender will actually underwrite.

This guide uses the system in England and Wales, where judgments are recorded on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own court systems and terms, though lenders tend to ask similar questions.

Satisfied vs unsatisfied CCJs

• Paid within one month. If the full amount is paid within a month of the judgment, you can ask the court to remove the entry from the register. It should then not appear on your credit file at all. If you think this applies to you but it still shows, that is worth correcting before you apply.
• Satisfied (paid later). If you pay in full after that first month, you can ask the court for a certificate of satisfaction. The entry stays on the register and your credit file for six years, but is marked as satisfied. Lenders usually view a satisfied CCJ more favourably than an unpaid one.
• Unsatisfied (still owed). An open CCJ is usually the harder case. Many lenders will not proceed while one is outstanding. Some may only proceed if it is paid before completion, or paid off from the mortgage funds, which needs planning with the lender and conveyancer, not a hope on the day.

Paying a CCJ does not automatically update the register. If you have paid but the record still shows unsatisfied, you usually need to apply to the court with proof of payment. That paperwork is worth getting in order before a lender looks.

How the age and size of a CCJ matter

• Age. Lenders tend to group CCJs by how long ago they were registered, often in bands of months or years. The older the CCJ, the more lenders may consider it, provided your file has stayed clean since.
• Size. Some lenders may disregard a small CCJ, for example an old utility or phone bill, once it is satisfied and has aged. Larger CCJs more often push a case towards specialist lenders. Where a lender has a size limit, it is its own figure, not a market-wide rule.
• How many. A single CCJ is a different conversation from several. Multiple judgments can suggest a pattern rather than a one-off, and lenders may look at the total value as well as the number.
• What it was for. Some lenders may take a more cautious view of a CCJ from a mortgage or secured loan than from a disputed parking charge or a forgotten utility bill. The explanation will not erase the record, but it helps the case to be presented accurately.

CCJ in the last 12 months: mortgage options

A CCJ registered in the last 12 months narrows the field the most. Many mainstream lenders will not look at it, and the specialist lenders that may consider it often want a larger deposit and charge more. Some people choose to proceed on those terms; others decide to wait, satisfy the judgment and keep everything else on the file clean, then revisit once it is older. Neither route is right for everyone. It depends on how urgent the move is and what the extra cost would be over the deal period.

The 6-year drop-off

A CCJ stays on the register and your credit file for six years from the date of the judgment, whether or not it was paid. After that it drops off automatically. The debt itself may still be owed if it was never paid; it is only the record that falls away.

Once a CCJ has dropped off, it no longer appears on a credit search, though some application forms ask about adverse credit over a longer period. Always answer those questions honestly. A mismatch between the form and the credit file is a common reason for a case to stall.

Want someone to look at your own file? Send us the facts — the date, amount and status of the CCJ is enough to start.

How specialist lenders view CCJs

Specialist (sometimes called adverse credit) lenders build their criteria around recent or larger credit problems. Rather than a simple yes or no, they may grade the application by how recent, how large and how many the CCJs are, alongside other markers such as defaults or missed payments. The grade then shapes the maximum loan-to-value and the rate on offer.

The trade-off is usually cost and flexibility: higher rates, sometimes higher fees, and lower maximum LTVs than a clean high-street deal. Some borrowers use a specialist mortgage for a fixed period, keep their file clean, and then look to remortgage onto a mainstream product later. That is a possible path, not a guarantee, because future criteria and rates are unknown.

A CCJ rarely sits alone. If you also have defaults, missed payments or arrears, or a history of an IVA or bankruptcy, say so early. Lenders see the whole file, so a full picture saves wasted applications.

Deposit and LTV expectations

Loan-to-value (LTV) is the mortgage as a percentage of the property value. With a CCJ, the more recent or larger it is, the lower the maximum LTV some lenders may offer, so a bigger deposit is often expected than with a clean file. An older, smaller, satisfied CCJ may leave more options open at higher LTVs; a recent unsatisfied one may leave very few.

A larger deposit can widen the choice of lenders and sometimes improve the rate, but it does not override every policy. Some lenders decline certain CCJs at any LTV. Our mortgage calculator can sketch payments at different loan sizes; it does not check credit or criteria.

How to check your credit file

• Get your statutory credit reports. You are entitled to a free copy from each of the three main credit reference agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Lenders may use one or more of them, and the reports do not always match.
• Check the register. Judgments in England and Wales can be searched on the official register for a small fee. It shows the judgment date, amount and whether it is marked satisfied.
• Look for errors. Wrong amounts, a satisfied CCJ still showing as unpaid, or a judgment you did not know about are all worth raising. If a CCJ was issued to an old address and you never saw the claim, you may be able to ask the court to set it aside. Free debt advice services such as Citizens Advice or MoneyHelper can explain the process.
• Note the soft or hard searches. Repeated applications leave hard searches on your file. If you have already been declined, note the date and lender rather than reapplying in the same place.

An illustrative example

Sam has one CCJ for £1,200 from an old energy bill, registered in March 2023 and paid in full in 2024, so it is marked satisfied. The rest of Sam’s file has been clean since. Sam wants to buy a £200,000 home with a £30,000 deposit, which means a £170,000 mortgage at 85% LTV.

• The CCJ is satisfied, about three and a half years old, and a single, modest amount. Those facts are generally more helpful than an open, recent or repeated CCJ.
• Some lenders may still decline any CCJ in the last six years. Others may consider it, possibly with a lower maximum LTV. If Sam could put down £40,000 instead, the mortgage would be £160,000 at 80% LTV, which may widen the options.
• The CCJ will drop off Sam’s credit file in March 2029, six years after the judgment. Waiting until then is one option; proceeding now on the terms available is another.

The point of the example is the shape of the conversation, not the outcome: status, age, size, deposit and the rest of the file all move the answer.

Remortgaging with a CCJ

If you already have a mortgage and a CCJ appears later, your options depend on what you are trying to do:

• Staying with your current lender. When a deal ends, a product transfer with your existing lender often involves lighter checks than a new application, particularly if you are not borrowing more and your payments are up to date. That can be a practical route while a CCJ ages, though each lender sets its own rules.
• Moving to a new lender. A remortgage to a different lender is assessed much like a new application, with a full credit check. The same questions about status, age and size apply.
• Raising capital. Borrowing more, including to clear the CCJ or other debts, is usually scrutinised harder and may cap the LTV lower. See capital raise with adverse credit for how that tends to work.

Buy-to-let mortgage with a CCJ

A buy-to-let mortgage with a CCJ is assessed on two fronts: the expected rent compared with the mortgage payment, and your own credit history. Some buy-to-let lenders may take a stricter view of CCJs than residential lenders, while specialist buy-to-let lenders may consider them on their own terms, often with lower LTVs and higher costs.

Buying through a limited company does not usually avoid the question, as lenders typically check the directors’ and shareholders’ credit files too. Consumer buy-to-let, such as letting a former home, sits under different rules from investment buy-to-let. If you are a landlord or planning to become one, bring details of any existing properties and their mortgages alongside the CCJ information.

What to gather before you enquire

• Copies of your credit reports from all three agencies.
• For each CCJ: the judgment date, amount, who it was for, and whether it is satisfied, with the certificate of satisfaction if you have one.
• Any other adverse credit: defaults, missed payments, arrangements to pay, IVAs or debt management plans, with dates.
• Income evidence: recent payslips, or accounts and tax calculations if self-employed.
• Deposit: how much, and where it comes from.
• For a remortgage: your current lender, balance, property value and when your deal ends.
• For buy-to-let: the expected rent and details of any properties you already own.

While you weigh up the mortgage, it is fair to ask whether the people who depend on the home would be protected if income stopped. The protection gap analyser is an optional illustrative check only.

Frequently asked questions

Next step

If you know the date, amount and status of the CCJ, that is enough to start a conversation. Bring the facts; skip the labels.