A CCJ registered between 1 and 2 years ago usually sits in the middle of the picture: past the hardest first few months, but not yet old enough that lenders stop paying it much attention. Many people find their choice of lender widens noticeably once a judgment passes its first anniversary, and widens again as it moves towards 2 years, provided nothing new has gone wrong since.
This page looks at what tends to change during that second year and how to use the time to strengthen an application. If your CCJ is under a year old, see remortgaging with a recent CCJ. If it is further back, see remortgaging with a CCJ over 3 years old.
On this page
This page covers
- Credit issue
- County court judgments (CCJs)Usually stays on your credit file for 6 years from the judgment date.
- When it happened
- 1 to 2 years agoWith each year that passes without new problems, more lenders may be willing to consider an application.
In short
- A CCJ between 1 and 2 years old is usually viewed more favourably than one under a year old.
- What happens in the second year, particularly your mortgage payment record, often matters as much as the judgment itself.
- A satisfied CCJ from this period usually carries less weight than an unsatisfied one.
- The judgment still has 4 to 5 years left to run before it drops off your file entirely.
Why 1 to 2 years is treated differently from under a year
Lenders who consider adverse credit generally want to see some distance between an applicant and their most recent credit problem. A judgment approaching or past its first anniversary has usually had time to be paid, and there is more of a track record to look at since it happened. That does not mean it is ignored; it is simply weighed alongside everything else on the file rather than dominating it in the way a very recent CCJ often does.
| Time since the judgment | What tends to matter most |
|---|---|
| 12 to 15 months | Whether it has been paid, and whether anything else has gone wrong since |
| 15 to 18 months | A settled judgment and a clean payment record start to carry more weight |
| 18 to 24 months | Choice tends to widen further, especially if the CCJ is satisfied |
For illustration only. These are general tendencies rather than lender rules, and every lender assesses applications in its own way.
Does it matter if the CCJ is still unsatisfied at this stage?
Yes, more than the age alone. An unsatisfied CCJ from 18 months ago can still be harder to place than a satisfied one from the same period, because it shows the debt has not been dealt with. If you have not paid it yet, our page on remortgaging with an unsatisfied CCJ sets out the options, including paying it yourself or clearing it through the remortgage.
If you have already paid it, applying for a certificate of satisfaction and checking your file shows the correct status is worth doing before you start looking at rates.
What to do with this second year
A judgment from 1 to 2 years ago cannot be undone, but the months in between can still work in your favour.
- Keep every mortgage and credit payment on time from here on
- Pay off the CCJ if you have not already, and get a certificate of satisfaction
- Register on the electoral roll at your current address if you have not
- Check all three credit reports show the same judgment date and status
- Avoid unnecessary credit applications, which show as hard searches
A clean record over this period is often exactly what an adviser looks for when presenting your case to a lender.
If your current deal is ending soon
Many people reach a deal end date while a CCJ from this period is still on their file. Where you are not borrowing more, a product transfer with your existing lender does not need a full affordability assessment under FCA rules, so a CCJ from 1 to 2 years ago may matter less than it would for a new lender. If you want to raise money or need a wider search of the market, remortgaging with a CCJ sets out the broader picture, and a specialist adviser can compare what is available now against waiting a little longer.
What lenders may look at with a CCJ 1 to 2 years old
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Exact age of the judgment | Whether it is closer to 1 year or closer to 2 can affect which lenders may consider it. |
| Satisfied or unsatisfied | A settled judgment from this period is usually viewed more favourably than an unpaid one. |
| Payment record since the judgment | On-time mortgage and credit payments over the past 1 to 2 years help show the problem is behind you. |
| New credit problems since | Any further defaults, missed payments or judgments in this period can outweigh the original CCJ. |
| Amount of the judgment | Smaller judgments are often viewed more leniently, whatever their age. |
| Loan to value | More equity in your home generally widens the choice of lender. |
| Income and affordability | How your income is evidenced and whether the new payment is affordable once stress tested. |
These are general points, not lender rules. Each lender sets and changes its own criteria.
Information an adviser may ask for
You don’t need all of this to make an enquiry. It helps to know where to find it, because an adviser is likely to ask about most of it.
- The exact judgment date, amount and court
- Whether the CCJ has been paid, and any certificate of satisfaction
- Recent copies of your Experian, Equifax and TransUnion reports
- Your mortgage balance, deal end date and any early repayment charges
- An estimate of your home’s current value
- Proof of income and details of your other monthly commitments
Frequently asked questions
Is a CCJ from 18 months ago still a problem for remortgaging?
It can still affect your options, but usually less than a judgment from the last few months. Many lenders who consider adverse credit look more closely at whether it is paid and what has happened since than at the age on its own.
Should I wait until my CCJ turns 2 years old before applying?
Not necessarily. Waiting can widen your options a little, but it also means staying on your current rate for longer, which may cost more. An adviser can compare what is available now against what waiting might change.
Does paying off a CCJ from a year ago make much difference now?
It can help. A satisfied judgment is usually viewed more favourably than an unsatisfied one, whatever its age, and it removes the risk of a lender requiring it to be cleared as a condition of lending.
What matters more, the age of the CCJ or my payment record since?
Both count, but a clean payment record over the past year or two is often what allows an adviser to present the CCJ as something that happened rather than an ongoing problem.