On this page
There are two reliable ways to check whether you have a CCJ: look at your credit report from the three main credit reference agencies, or search the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines directly. Both are available to you for free or for a small fee, and neither shows up as a hard search that other lenders can see. Checking regularly, especially before you apply for a mortgage or remortgage, means there are fewer surprises later, and gives you time to deal with anything you find.
Check your free credit report first
Your statutory credit report is free from each of the three main agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Because lenders don’t always use the same agency, and CCJs are sometimes recorded slightly differently between them, it’s worth checking all three rather than just one.
Looking at your own file is a soft search, which isn’t visible to other lenders and doesn’t affect your ability to borrow. When you check, look for:
- the judgment date, amount and the name of the creditor
- whether it’s shown as satisfied or unsatisfied, which our page on remortgaging with a satisfied CCJ explains further
- the court that made the judgment
If a CCJ appears with a creditor name you don’t recognise, see our guide on what to do if you have a CCJ but don’t know who it’s from. It’s also worth reading your report carefully rather than skimming it, since older judgments can sit lower down the file alongside other closed accounts.
Search the judgments register directly
Every CCJ made in England or Wales is entered on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, held by Registry Trust. You can search this register yourself, or ask someone else to check whether a judgment is registered against you, through Trust Online, Registry Trust’s public search service. A search usually costs a small fee, shown on the site when you search.
This is a useful cross-check alongside your credit report, particularly if you think a CCJ might be missing from your file, or if you want to check before a lender or landlord searches the register themselves.
A register search and a credit report don’t show quite the same thing. The register can confirm the name, address and amount linked to a judgment, but it won’t always tell you whether it’s satisfied in the same clear way your credit report does. For that reason, most people find checking their credit report the more useful everyday option, and use a register search mainly to confirm or cross-check a specific result.
What if nothing shows up, but you were expecting one?
It can take some time for a judgment to reach your credit file after it’s made, and very old or set-aside judgments should have been removed. If you were told about a claim or a judgment but can’t find it on your report or the register, contact the court named in any paperwork you received, or ask a free debt adviser to help you check. Our page on remortgaging with a CCJ that’s been set aside explains what happens when a judgment is removed this way.
Checking in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland doesn’t use the term CCJ. The nearest equivalent is a court decree, and there isn’t a single public register in the same form as the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, so your credit report is the most reliable way to check. In Northern Ireland, judgments are recorded and enforced through the Enforcement of Judgments Office, and your credit report will also show any judgment recorded there. If you’re unsure which system applies to you, nidirect and mygov.scot both have guidance for their own systems.
If you find a mistake on your file
Sometimes a check turns up a CCJ with the wrong amount, the wrong date, or one that should have already dropped off. If this happens, raise a dispute with the credit reference agency concerned, and provide any paperwork you have, such as a certificate of satisfaction or proof the judgment was set aside. Our guide on how to correct errors on your credit file explains the process step by step, including what a notice of correction can do if an agency won’t change an entry you disagree with.
Comparing the two ways to check
| Credit report | Register search | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (statutory report) | Usually a small fee per search |
| Shows on the credit file? | This is the credit file itself | No, it’s a separate register |
| Visible to other lenders | No, checking your own file is a soft search | Anyone can search, including lenders and landlords |
| Best for | Regular checks, especially before applying for credit | Confirming exactly what’s on the public register, or checking someone else |
What checking early means for a remortgage
If you’re planning to remortgage, checking your credit report well before you apply gives you time to deal with anything unexpected, correct errors, and gather paperwork such as a certificate of satisfaction if a CCJ has been paid. It also means you can talk to an adviser honestly, with the full picture, rather than being caught out partway through an application. Lenders don’t rely on a single score; they look at the whole report, which our page on remortgaging with a low credit score explains. Our main page on remortgaging with a CCJ covers what an adviser is likely to ask about once you know what’s on your file.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I check my credit report?
There’s no fixed rule, but checking once or twice a year is sensible, and definitely before you apply for a mortgage or remortgage. Checking your own file is a soft search, so it doesn’t affect your ability to borrow, however often you do it. See does checking your credit score lower it? for more on this.
Does searching the judgments register show on my credit file?
No. The Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines is a separate public record from your credit file. Searching it, whether it’s your own name or someone else’s, doesn’t add anything to your credit file and isn’t visible to lenders as a credit search.
Can someone else check if I have a CCJ?
Yes. The judgments register can be searched by anyone, usually for a small fee, which is why lenders, landlords and some employers sometimes check it. This is one reason it’s worth checking your own record first, so you know what they’ll see.
What if I find a CCJ on my report but I don’t recognise it?
This can happen if paperwork went to an old address or the creditor is a debt collector using a different trading name from the original one. Don’t ignore it. See our guide on what to do if you have a CCJ but don’t know who it’s from for the steps to take.