Well, What Is a CCJ?

In simple terms, it is an order that a court in the UK issues for non-payment of any money owed. It is sometimes also called as County Court Summons. It is one of the ways used by creditors or the lenders to extract the money from their borrowers. You can be issued with an CCJ if you have missed your payments on loan such as secured loans or unsecured loans like NO GUARANTOR LOANS.

How Much Can I Borrow?

Can I still borrow money in the future? These are two of the most common questions often asked by customers after receiving a CCJ. Don't panic! We'll tell you what to do when you receive a County Court Claim form or a CCJ. We'll also guide you how to avoid receiving it again to ensure little or no impact on your credit scores.

• As a first step, if you owe any money to someone, they can approach County Court for a judgement against you. The Court studies the matter and decides if at all there is any debt to pay. If there is debt, the Court will issue a judgement.
• You will receive a claim form and an admission form. You can send this form back within 14 days, detailing your take on the entire matter.
• The first option for you is to pay the amount in full, including any court fees. It will ensure no court hearings and no recorded CCJ against you.
• As a second option, you can offer to pay in installments.
• The third option could be to dispute the amount stated by your creditor. You can fill in the admission form and send it back to the Court. The Court will take a final call on it.
• If you think your creditor owes you some amount, you can fill the counterclaim form.

  You must make all efforts not to ignore the claim or miss relevant deadlines. It could otherwise lead to a default judgement against you.

What if I can't pay a CCJ? Can I approach a lender for an unsecured loan even if I have an unsatisfied judgement on the register?

• If you cannot pay a CCJ, you can contact the Court, ask them to change the repayment amount.
• The court sets your repayments based on the information you provide. Your earnings and spending related information helps the Court in deciding such matters.
• An unsatisfied CCJ remains on the register for six years. It creates challenges while applying for further loans or mortgages.
• A CCJ gets removed if the customer makes the full payment within one month of the date of judgement.
• You can have the judgement removed from the register by asking the Court to set aside the verdict. It is possible only if the Court sees a genuine reason to dispute the assessment.
• Most banks and lenders carry out a CCJ check against the register while deciding on lending. Some direct lenders and finance companies can provide no  CCJ loans of up to £ 30,000 or more.

Got a CCJ against you? Speak to your debt adviser or a direct lender, now.   Also Know: What is Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)?