Some people use a remortgage as the opportunity to finally clear an unpaid CCJ, either by paying it from their own money before they apply, or by having it cleared from the funds released when the remortgage completes. Both can work, but they are not the same thing: paying it yourself leaves your mortgage borrowing unchanged, while clearing it through the remortgage adds that debt to your home loan.
This page sets out both routes, what happens once the CCJ is paid, and the risk to weigh up if you borrow more to clear it. If the CCJ is still unpaid and you are not sure which way to go, see remortgaging with an unsatisfied CCJ for the wider picture first.
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.
- Status
- Not yet settledOutstanding balances usually narrow the options, and some lenders may expect them to be cleared as part of a remortgage.
- Reason for remortgaging
- Consolidating debtsSecuring debts on your home carries extra risk and needs careful thought.
In short
- Paying a CCJ from your own money keeps it separate from your mortgage borrowing.
- Clearing a CCJ from the remortgage funds on completion secures that debt against your home instead.
- A lender may make paying off the CCJ a condition of the remortgage going ahead.
- Once paid, apply for a certificate of satisfaction if more than a month has passed since the judgment.
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.
Two ways to pay off a CCJ when you remortgage
If a CCJ is still unpaid when you want to remortgage, there are broadly two ways to deal with it. You can pay it off yourself, from savings or income, before you submit your application. Or, if a lender is willing, the CCJ can be paid off using some of the money released by the remortgage when it completes, which is common where someone is also raising money for other reasons.
| Paying it yourself first | Paying it from the remortgage funds | |
|---|---|---|
| What it needs | Savings or income to cover the balance | A lender willing to release enough extra borrowing |
| Effect on your mortgage | No change to what you borrow | Increases your mortgage balance and monthly payment |
| Effect on the debt | Cleared and separate from your home | Cleared, but now secured against your home instead |
| When it is marked satisfied | Once the payment is recorded, before you apply | On completion, alongside the rest of the remortgage |
Paying it yourself before you apply
Where it is affordable, paying the CCJ from your own money is usually the simpler route. It marks the judgment satisfied ahead of your application, so a lender checking your file sees a paid debt rather than an open one, and nothing is added to your borrowing.
If more than one calendar month has passed since the judgment, paying it will not remove it from your file, but it will still update the status to satisfied. Apply for a certificate of satisfaction once you have paid, and keep it with your other paperwork for the remortgage application.
Paying it from the remortgage funds on completion
Where you cannot pay from your own money, some lenders may agree to lend on the basis that an outstanding CCJ is cleared using part of the funds released when the remortgage completes. This is often done through the solicitor handling the legal work, who pays the creditor directly at completion rather than the money passing through your own account first.
Clearing a CCJ this way means the debt becomes part of your mortgage, secured against your property. If you cannot keep up the new mortgage payments, your home could be at risk, and spreading the debt over a longer mortgage term can mean paying more in total, even if the monthly cost looks lower than before. A regulated adviser must consider whether this is appropriate for you, and our debt consolidation remortgage page explains the trade-offs in more detail.
After it is paid: getting a certificate of satisfaction
Whichever route you use, once the CCJ has been paid in full you can apply to the court for a certificate of satisfaction if more than one calendar month has passed since the judgment. This is useful evidence for a lender and a straightforward way to make sure the register and your credit file have been updated correctly.
- Get written confirmation of the final payment and its date from the creditor or solicitor
- Apply to the court for a certificate of satisfaction, referencing the GOV.UK guidance on the process
- Check all three credit reports show the CCJ as satisfied a few weeks afterwards
- Keep the paperwork together in case a lender asks for it again in future
If paying the CCJ is only part of a wider money worry, StepChange and MoneyHelper can give free advice on your options before you commit to either route.
What to weigh up when paying off a CCJ
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Whether you can afford to pay it yourself | Paying from savings or income keeps the debt off your mortgage entirely. |
| Whether a lender requires it cleared | Some lenders may only proceed if an unsatisfied CCJ is dealt with on or before completion. |
| How much extra borrowing is needed | Clearing it through the remortgage increases the loan amount and your monthly payment. |
| Loan to value after the extra borrowing | Raising money to clear a CCJ can push your LTV into a higher band. |
| Total value if there is more than one debt | Whether other debts are being cleared at the same time changes the amount needed. |
| Term of the new mortgage | A longer term can lower the monthly cost of clearing a debt this way but increase the total paid over time. |
| Certificate of satisfaction | Getting this once paid gives clear evidence for future applications. |
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 judgment date, amount, court and current outstanding balance
- Whether you intend to pay it yourself or clear it on completion
- Your mortgage balance, deal end date and any early repayment charges
- An estimate of your property’s current value
- Proof of income and your main monthly outgoings
- Details of any other debts you are considering clearing at the same time
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to pay off a CCJ myself or through the remortgage?
If you can afford to pay it yourself, that keeps the debt off your mortgage and avoids securing it against your home. Clearing it through the remortgage can help if you have no other way to pay, but it increases your borrowing and secures the debt on your property.
Will a lender always let me clear a CCJ from the completion funds?
Not always. It depends on the lender, your loan to value and how much extra you need to borrow. A specialist adviser can tell you which lenders may consider this.
Does paying off a CCJ through my mortgage remove it from my credit file?
No. Paying it, by either route, marks it satisfied rather than removing it, unless it was within one calendar month of the judgment date. It still stays on your file for 6 years from the judgment date.
What proof do I need once the CCJ is paid?
A certificate of satisfaction from the court is the clearest evidence, along with a letter or statement from the creditor confirming the final payment. Keep both with your other paperwork.