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Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage. Think carefully before securing other debts against your home. Borrowing over a longer term can mean paying back more in total.
Paying a CCJ properly means more than just sending money. To get the best outcome for your credit file, you need to pay the right amount to the right person, get proof, and then make sure the record is updated, either as removed or as satisfied. The steps below cover both routes.
Step 1: Check exactly what you owe
Start with the judgment paperwork, which sets out the amount and who the creditor is. If the debt has been sold on, the creditor named on the judgment may not be who you originally owed money to, so contact them directly to confirm the current balance, as interest or costs may have been added since the judgment. If you don’t recognise the name on the judgment at all, see I have a CCJ but don’t know who it’s from.
Step 2: Work out whether you can pay within one month
If you can pay the full amount within one calendar month of the judgment date, it’s usually worth doing, because you can then apply to have the judgment removed from the register entirely, so it shouldn’t show on your credit file. Our guide on what happens if you don’t pay a CCJ explains what happens if that window has already passed.
If a month has already gone, paying in full is still worthwhile. It won’t remove the judgment, but it changes its status to satisfied, which many lenders view more favourably than an unpaid CCJ.
Step 3: Make the payment and keep proof
Pay by a method that gives you a clear record, such as a bank transfer, and ask the creditor to confirm in writing that the debt has been paid in full, including the date. Keep this alongside the original judgment paperwork. If you’re paying by instalments rather than in one go, keep records of every payment, because you’ll need to show the final one was made before the debt is truly settled.
Step 4: Apply to update the record
What you do next depends on when you paid:
- Within one month: apply to the court that made the judgment to have it removed from the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, sending your proof of payment. GOV.UK explains the process.
- After one month: apply for a certificate of satisfaction from the court, which confirms the debt has been paid in full. Our guide on the certificate of satisfaction explains what you need and how it updates your file.
Step 5: Check all three credit reports
Once the court has updated its records, check that Experian, Equifax and TransUnion all show the correct outcome, whether that’s the judgment being removed entirely or marked satisfied. This can take some time to filter through, so check again a few weeks later if nothing has changed. Our page on remortgaging with a satisfied CCJ explains what to do if a report still looks wrong.
Keep the paperwork afterwards
Once a CCJ is paid, whether it’s removed or marked satisfied, keep every piece of paperwork together: the original judgment, proof of payment, and your certificate of satisfaction or confirmation of removal. Credit reports can occasionally show an entry incorrectly even after it should have updated, and a future lender or adviser may simply ask you to explain what happened. Having clear proof to hand, rather than trying to piece the story together from memory years later, makes that conversation much easier.
Paying by instalments
Some judgments set out a schedule of instalments rather than requiring payment in full straight away. Keeping to this schedule matters just as much as the final amount. Missing instalments can lead a creditor to seek further enforcement, covered in our guide on what happens if you don’t pay a CCJ, even if you’ve paid most of what’s owed.
If you can’t pay in full
If you can’t manage the payments set out in the judgment, you can ask the court to vary them, or get free advice from MoneyHelper, StepChange or National Debtline, who can look at this debt alongside everything else you owe. Ignoring the judgment tends to lead to more enforcement action, not less.
Quick summary
| When you pay | What to apply for | Effect on your credit file |
|---|---|---|
| Within 1 calendar month of the judgment | Removal from the register | Should not show |
| After 1 calendar month | A certificate of satisfaction | Shown as satisfied, for 6 years from the judgment date |
| By instalments, on schedule | Confirmation once the final payment is made | Satisfied once fully paid; unsatisfied until then |
What this means for a remortgage
If you’re planning to remortgage, paying off a CCJ, and getting the record updated correctly, is one of the more straightforward things you can do to strengthen your application. A satisfied CCJ is generally viewed more favourably than an unpaid one, even though it stays on your file for the same 6 years. If you’re thinking about using the remortgage itself to pay off the CCJ, bear in mind this secures that debt against your home, so a missed payment afterwards puts your home at risk rather than the original unsecured debt. Our page on remortgaging with a CCJ and our page on paying off a CCJ through a remortgage go through this in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
Who do I pay a CCJ to?
Pay the creditor named on the judgment. If the original debt has been sold on, this may be a debt purchaser rather than the company you first borrowed from. Contact them to confirm the current balance and how to pay, and always get written confirmation once you’ve paid in full.
What if the debt has been sold to a different company?
This is common, especially with older debts. The judgment itself doesn’t change, but you need to pay whoever now holds it, and check the amount carefully, as some costs or interest may have been added. Ask for written confirmation of the current balance before you pay.
Do I need a solicitor to pay off a CCJ?
No, most people deal with this themselves. You’ll need to contact the creditor, make the payment, and apply to the court for either removal (within one month) or a certificate of satisfaction (after one month). A free debt adviser can help if you’re unsure about any step.
How long does it take for a paid CCJ to show correctly on my credit file?
It can take a few weeks for the court, the creditor and the credit reference agencies to all update their records, so it’s worth checking again a little later if a report still shows the judgment as unsatisfied shortly after you’ve paid. Keep your proof of payment in case you need to query it.