Frequently Asked Questions

A CCJ is a County Court Judgment which has been entered against you in a civil claim in England and Wales. If a CCJ has been entered against you then this means that the Court has already decided that you owe the money under the Claim. The Judgment Order you would have received from the Court would explain how much you owe and to whom, how to pay the judgment (in full or by way of instalments) and the deadline date. If a CCJ is paid within 1 month from the judgment date then you can get the record of judgment marked as satisfied and have the judgment removed by applying for a certificate of cancellation. Where the judgment is paid after one month from the judgment date, the CCJ would not be removed upon repayment and would remain on your file for 6 years. You will however be able to apply for a certificate of satisfaction once the balance under the CCJ has been paid.

We specialise in civil claims and have many years' experience in Civil Litigation. As a Paralegal services firm we are able to provide you with litigation support services and advise and guide you through the Court process in order to remove a CCJ and draft the necessary documents for you in this matter. We are able to offer you fixed sum packages to deal with your whole claim in full. We provide a FREE case review and advise you on your best options to set aside your judgment(s).

Having a CCJ on your credit file can have an impact on you regardless the amount of the CCJ. The effects of having a CCJ can be: Preventing from obtaining a Mortgage or buying a house; Declining from all forms of credit; Enforcement (Bailiffs) proceedings taking place; You could be refused a job. The cost of having a CCJ on your credit report/file will far outweigh the amount the court has ordered you to pay therefore you need to get the CCJ removed if you can. There are 3 ways how a CCJ can be removed: Pay the full amount within 30 days; Wait for 6 years and it will automatically remove from your credit file; Apply to have the judgment set aside.

Yes, if a private parking company informs you that they are taking you to Court and you do not respond, a Default Judgment can be issued against you.

Once your CCJ has been set aside, the Court should automatically update the Registry Trust and this will result in the CCJ being completely removed. If the CCJ is still showing on your credit file then you may need to contact the Court to remind them to remove it.

A Default Judgment is when the Court has made a money judgment against you if you did not file either a Defence or an Admission to the Claim. When a Defendant does not respond to the Claim issued against them, the Court grants the Claimant a Default Judgment. A Judgment by Admission is when you have responded back to the Claim by way of admitting to the outstanding balance and therefore a Judgment by Admission is automatically entered against you. If you have received a Default Judgment and did not receive any paperwork from the Court then please contact us by visiting our contact us page.

The Court has a discretion to set the judgment aside. One of the most important factors the Court considers when making their decision is whether the Application has been made promptly. Promptness will depend on the circumstances of each case however some Applications fail because the Defendant waited too long before proceeding with their Application. The Defendant might try to justify any delays on the basis that: They were unsure of how the process works or checked online forums for advice until they proceed; They were trying to negotiate with the Claimant; All evidence was required before they made the Application. These reasons should not be relied on as an excuse for not acting promptly with your case. It is highly recommended that you should apply straight away with the appropriate Court fee and discuss the possibility of a settlement with the Claimant.

You can find your CCJ details on your credit file by conducting a search on Experian, Equifax, Clear-Score etc. You must check your current and previous addresses in order to find the CCJ details. The CCJ details will consist of the name of the Court, date of the CCJ, address where it was registered, the balance under the CCJ and the Claim Number/Court Reference Number. You can also obtain your CCJ details by conducting a check on the Registry Trust/Trust Online however, there is a charge for each check.

Once you have obtained the Claim Number/Court Reference Number from your credit file, you can now contact the Court on 0300 123 1056 if the registered Court is the Civil National Business Centre/County Court Business Centre/Northampton. The Court will provide you with the details of this Claim such as the name of the Claimant, what this Claim is about and when it was issued. Please ensure you request a copy of your Particulars of the Claim from the Court if you intend to challenge the CCJ. The Particulars of the Claim contain what the Claimant has stated in this Claim against you.

Paying your CCJ will not remove it unless your CCJ is still within one calendar month from the date it was entered. If this is the case then the Court allows the CCJ to be automatically removed if the payment is made within this timeframe. You and the Claimant must inform the Court that the balance has been paid. You can also apply for a Certificate of Cancellation from the Court if you so wish. If you are beyond one calendar month from the date the CCJ was entered then paying the balance will not remove the CCJ. You must challenge the CCJ if you have legal grounds to do so such as the legal proceedings were issued to your previous address etc. You can challenge the CCJ and pay the balance via a Draft Order/Tomlin/Consent Order agreement or challenge the CCJ without paying the balance via an N244 Application.

We do not recommend that you delay challenging your CCJ as due to the delay, the Court may refuse to remove the CCJ as it will fail the Court's promptness test. The Court expects you to challenge a CCJ promptly. Any delays will therefore make it difficult for the Court to agree that you have acted promptly.

Once the Claimant has obtained a CCJ against you, the Claimant may then move onto enforcement proceedings to enforce the CCJ. The Claimant can do this in several ways such as: Warrant of Control/Writ – The Claimant may apply to the Court for a Warrant so that it can send a Bailiff to your address to recover the balance under the CCJ or take control of goods. Attachment of Earning – The Claimant may apply to the Court for the balance under the CCJ to be deducted directly from your wages from your employer. Interim/Final Charging Order – The Claimant may apply for a Charging Order directly against any property you may own in which case, you will not be able to sell or transfer the property without discharging the Charging Order first. Also, while a CCJ expires in 6 years, a Charging Order does not expire and will only be discharged once the payment has been made in full.

If you have just received the Claim Form then you must, within 14 days from the service date, file a Defence to the Claim. If you would like more time to file the Defence then you must file an Acknowledgment of Service to the Court, this will then give you 28 days from the service date to file a Defence. We can help you draft a Defence, Witness Statement and/or Trial Bundle. If you admit to the balance under the Claim then you may file a full Admission or a Part Admission to the Claim however, please note by filing an Admission, you admit to the Claim therefore, a CCJ by Admission will be entered against you if the Claimant accepts your Admission. A CCJ by Admission cannot be removed as the Civil Procedure Rules to challenge CCJs do not apply to Admissions.

CCJ's expire after 6 years from the date they were entered. Once the CCJ has expired it is automatically removed from your credit file by the Court. A Claimant cannot extend the CCJ or issue another Claim for the same debt even though the Claimant may still contact you for payment of the debt.

A common question we receive is whether you'll need to attend Court in person to have your CCJ set aside. In many cases, the answer is no. If you and the Claimant are in agreement and wish to remove the CCJ because, for example, the original claim papers went to an old or incorrect address—and you do not wish to dispute the debt—a Consent Order can usually be used. A Consent Order is a legal agreement between you and the Claimant that allows both parties to request the set aside of the CCJ without the need for a Court hearing. The key is that both sides must agree to the terms and provide all relevant information up front. Once all parties have signed, the Consent Order is submitted to the Court, where a judge will review the paperwork behind the scenes. Assuming everything is completed correctly and the reasons for removing the CCJ are clearly presented, the judge can make a new order to set aside the judgment—often entirely on paper, without anyone needing to physically attend Court or schedule a hearing.

It's important to understand that even without a hearing, the process does take time. Current delays at HM Courts & Tribunals Service mean it can take several weeks for paperwork to be processed. For Consent Order applications, an average timeframe is around three months, but it can take longer depending on court backlogs and how quickly the Claimant responds. For Applications, the Court can take between 3-9 months to list the Application for a hearing.

Accuracy and thoroughness are crucial: if a Consent Order or an N244 Application is not correctly completed, the court may reject your request, causing further delays. Professional help can save time and prevent repeated Applications. In summary, while some cases do require a Court hearing—such as when there's a disagreement between you and the Claimant or when evidence must be challenged—many Applications to set aside a CCJ, especially when everyone agrees, can be resolved entirely on paper without stepping a foot in Court.

If you do not dispute the debt and your County Court Judgment (CCJ) was issued to an incorrect or previous address, it is possible to request removal using a Consent Order. Here's a step-by-step overview of how we'll assist you through the process: Initial Review and Advice – First, we carry out a thorough, obligation-free assessment of your case to ensure a Consent Order is the appropriate route. We'll confirm if you meet the criteria and explain every stage clearly, including the associated Court fee, which is typically £126 for the Consent Order or £321 for the N244 Application, payable directly to the Court. Negotiating with the Claimant – Once instructed, your designated Paralegal will contact the Claimant (such as the original creditor or their solicitors, often parking companies or their representatives) to explain your situation. We outline your willingness to pay the outstanding balance in exchange for their agreement to set aside the CCJ via a Consent Order. Drafting and Agreement – Our experienced team will draft the Consent Order in the correct legal format. This document must spell out the circumstances, the reason for setting aside the Judgment, and show mutual agreement between parties. Any supporting evidence—such as proof that correspondence went to the wrong address—will be gathered and included. Signing and Submission – Once both you and the Claimant (or their representative) have signed the Consent Order, we will guide you through the process of submitting the paperwork to the Court, along with the required fee. This process is completed in writing, without the need for a hearing. Court Decision – The Court will review the submitted Consent Order and, provided everything is in order, will issue a new Order confirming the CCJ has been set aside and removed from your record. You will receive written confirmation directly from the Court. Our strong relationships with major parking companies and their legal teams, including understanding their usual procedures, allow us to move quickly and efficiently on your behalf, smoothing the path to successful CCJ removal.

The time it takes to remove a CCJ largely depends on how your case is handled and where it is processed. Typically, if your case proceeds to a Court hearing, you might expect a waiting period of three to nine months for your hearing date to be scheduled. However, in busy areas like London, the wait can stretch beyond six months, and in some courts, it may be over a year due to backlogs in His Majesty's Court & Tribunal Service (HMCTS). If you're seeking removal via Consent Order, on average the turnaround time is about three months. That said, response times from Claimants and Court processing speeds can occasionally result in longer timescales. By setting realistic expectations upfront, we help ensure you're always informed about what's happening with your case.

For a Consent Order, after we have prepared and you have submitted your Consent Order and supporting documents to the Court, the next step is for a Judge to review everything. The Judge will decide whether to grant your request to set aside or remove the CCJ based on the evidence and legal arguments provided. If the Judge is satisfied and approves your Consent Order, the Court will formally set aside the CCJ. You will receive written confirmation directly from the Court, usually by post. Once this confirmation has been issued, the CCJ will be removed from your credit file by the relevant Credit Reference Agencies—such as Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—ensuring your record is clear. We continue to support you during this process and will explain each step, so you know exactly what to expect. For an N244 Application, after we have prepared this and you have submitted this to the Court along with your Witness Statement, the next step is for the Court to list the Application for a hearing at which the Court will decide, based on your grounds, evidence and circumstances whether the CCJ should be set aside/removed or not.

It's important to understand the distinction between disputing the original parking ticket and addressing the County Court Judgment (CCJ) that followed. Disputing the Parking Ticket: If you've received a parking ticket from organizations like the British Parking Association or the IPC, you generally have the right to appeal or contest the fine before it escalates. This appeal process should take place shortly after the ticket is issued. At this stage, you can present evidence or reasons why the ticket was unfair or incorrect. Challenging the CCJ: However, once a CCJ has been issued against you, typically due to unpaid or unresolved matters regarding the ticket, the focus shifts. At this point, the Court has recorded a judgment, and the original parking dispute is considered settled. What you can challenge now is the process that led to the CCJ. For example, you may be able to have the CCJ set aside if you can show you were not properly notified or that there was some procedural error. In summary, while contesting the parking ticket is about arguing the merits of the fine itself, contesting the CCJ is about addressing whether the judgment should have been entered under the specific circumstances.

Once the Court has processed your Consent Order, things move swiftly and discreetly. There is no hearing or Court appearance required—everything takes place behind the scenes. The Judge will review the documents and, if all is in order, issue a fresh Court Order confirming the removal of your CCJ based on the agreed terms. This Order becomes the official Court confirmation that your CCJ has been set aside. With this in hand, you should soon see updates from credit reference agencies like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, reflecting the change on your credit file.

It's important to understand the typical timescales involved when applying to set aside or remove a CCJ. Generally, once your N244 Application is submitted, most Courts take between 3 to 9 months to list a hearing, though London Courts and some larger cities often have longer waiting periods, sometimes exceeding 9 months, and in very busy courts, it may even be over a year. If the process is being handled via a Consent Order rather than a formal N244 Application, the average time for completion is around 3 months, but this can extend depending on how quickly the Claimant responds and the current workload of His Majesty's Courts & Tribunal Service (HMCTS). It's also worth noting that these delays are mainly due to Court backlogs and administrative times, so there's unfortunately no way to fast-track the process. Anyone offering an unusually quick solution is unlikely to be providing you with an accurate overview. The best way to avoid further delays is to ensure your Consent Order or N244 Application is drafted correctly from the outset. If paperwork is rejected due to errors or incorrect format, you may need to start the process again, resulting in even longer wait times. On average, expect an initial response from the court within 6–8 weeks after submission, but the overall resolution will typically take several months.