---
title: "CCJ Mortgages, Satisfied and Unsatisfied CCJs"
description: "Getting a mortgage with a CCJ: which lenders accept one, how a judgment's date, amount and status count, the deposit needed and the six-year register."
url: "https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/ccj-mortgages"
site: "Mortgage Lane"
collection: "mortgages"
date: "2026-10-06"
author: "Joseph Lane"
category: "Mortgages"
reviewed: "2026-10-08"
reading_time: "34 min"
byline: "Joseph Lane"
author_credentials: "CeMAP · FCA authorised firm"
language: "en-GB"
robots: "index,follow"
---

# CCJ Mortgages, Satisfied and Unsatisfied CCJs

Getting a mortgage with a CCJ: which lenders accept one, how a judgment's date, amount and status count, the deposit needed and the six-year register.

Getting a mortgage with a CCJ: which lenders accept one, how a judgment's date, amount and status count, the deposit needed and the six-year register.

[County court judgment (CCJ)](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions?term=county-court-judgment)

Lending and affordability

A court order in England and Wales that a person or business pays a debt, made when a creditor's claim succeeds or goes unanswered. Most are recorded on the public Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for six years.

[Read the full definition of County court judgment (CCJ)](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions?term=county-court-judgment)

## Expert advice on CCJ mortgages

Speak to a Mortgage Lane adviser about your options.

## In short

Yes, you can get a mortgage with a CCJ. The date of the judgment, its amount and whether it has been paid decide which lenders will consider you and how much deposit they need. A recent or unpaid judgment usually leaves fewer lenders and a lower loan to value, while an older satisfied one leaves a much wider choice.

## What is a CCJ mortgage?

**A CCJ mortgage is a residential or buy to let mortgage for a borrower with a [county court judgment](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-county-court-judgment) on their credit file, from a lender whose criteria accept judgments of that age, number, amount and status.** The mortgage itself is an ordinary one. A mortgage on a home you will live in is normally a [regulated mortgage](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-regulated-mortgage) under the Financial Conduct Authority's conduct rules ([FCA Handbook: MCOB](https://handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/mcob)), and most [buy to let](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-buy-to-let-mortgage) lending is business lending outside them. The judgment changes which lenders will consider the application, how much of the property's value they will lend and the price. A recent, unpaid or larger judgment is often placed with a [specialist lender](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-specialist-lending), while some high street lenders accept a judgment that is small, old and paid.

A county court judgment is a court order to pay a debt. In England and Wales a creditor issues a claim, and if the person it is against does not respond, or responds and loses, the court enters judgment. The judgment arrives by post and sets out how much is owed, who to pay and by when ([GOV.UK: county court judgments for debt](https://www.gov.uk/county-court-judgments-ccj-for-debt)). Most money judgments, including default judgments where the claim went unanswered, are then sent by the court to Registry Trust, which keeps the statutory Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines. Registry Trust passes them to the [credit reference agencies](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-credit-reference-agency) for their files ([Registry Trust: what is a CCJ](https://www.registry-trust.org.uk/court-judgments/england-and-wales/ccjs)). The register shows the name and address the judgment was recorded against, the court, the case number, the judgment date, the amount and, once it is paid, the date it was satisfied.

A judgment stays on the register for six years from the date of judgment. Paid in full within one calendar month of that date, it can be cancelled on proof of payment to the court, which removes it from the register and the credit files. Paid after the first month, it can be marked satisfied: it stays for the rest of the six years, and anyone searching the register sees that it was paid. If the court sets it aside, it is removed. Six years after the date of judgment it drops off the register whether or not it was paid ([GOV.UK: CCJs and your credit rating](https://www.gov.uk/county-court-judgments-ccj-for-debt/ccjs-and-your-credit-rating)).

Some people first learn of a judgment when a lender finds it. The claim form goes to the address the creditor gives the court, and Registry Trust points out that someone who has moved without telling the creditor may never receive it. The first step in a CCJ case is therefore to check the credit files and the register, before any application. If a lender has already turned you down, our [declined mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/insights/declined-mortgages) page covers the recovery sequence.

Mortgage Lane arranges mortgages for borrowers with satisfied or unsatisfied, recent or older county court judgments, including several judgments on one file: purchases, first-time buyers, [remortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-remortgage), joint applications where one applicant has the judgment, and buy to let. Most of the work is matching the judgment to the lenders whose current criteria accept it and checking the deposit those criteria need.

### Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland has no county court judgments. The equivalent is a decree, granted by a sheriff court when a pursuer (the creditor) takes court action for money. Registry Trust keeps the Scottish register of undefended money decrees. It writes to the person before a decree is published and holds the entry back for four weeks so that proof of payment can be sent. A decree paid in full within one calendar month of its date is removed once the proof reaches Registry Trust; one paid later can be marked satisfied by sending proof of payment to Registry Trust, and it stays for six years from the date of decree. A decree is also removed if the sheriff court recalls it or it was issued in error ([Registry Trust: Scottish decrees](https://www.registry-trust.org.uk/court-judgments/scotland/decree)).

Northern Ireland has its own courts and its own register. Registry Trust records undefended default judgments, small claims and High Court judgments there for six years; payment within one calendar month removes the entry, later payment can be marked satisfied, and an application to set a judgment aside goes through the court ([Registry Trust: Northern Ireland judgments](https://www.registry-trust.org.uk/court-judgments/northern-ireland)). A judgment that is not paid can be enforced through the Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO), part of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service. The EJO keeps its own debt register of judgments lodged with it for enforcement in the last six years, and a search costs £33 a name as at October 2026 ([Department of Justice: online services](https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/articles/online-services)). Where a judgment cannot be enforced, the EJO can issue a certificate of unenforceability, which appears on the public register ([Department of Justice: the Enforcement of Judgments Office](https://www.justice-ni.gov.uk/articles/enforcement-judgments-office)).

Decrees and Northern Ireland judgments reach the credit reference agencies in the same way as CCJs, so lenders see them in the same checks. Published rules can apply to them too: the 2025 [Mortgage Guarantee Scheme](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-mortgage-guarantee-scheme) rules count judgments of the Sheriff Court or Court of Session in place of county court judgments for property in Scotland.

## CCJ mortgage rates

**CCJ mortgage rates are set by each lender, and they depend on the credit history as well as the loan to value.** Lenders price mortgages in [loan to value (LTV)](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-loan-to-value) bands, so a bigger deposit can move a case to a cheaper band. Specialist lenders that accept [adverse credit](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-adverse-credit) may also grade the credit history, and each one draws its own lines: how long ago each judgment was registered, how many there are, their total value and whether they have been satisfied. The same judgment can fall in a light grade at one lender and a heavier one at another. A single small judgment that is several years old and satisfied may be priced close to standard products, and some high street lenders accept it on their usual criteria. A recent, unpaid or larger judgment is usually priced higher, with a lower maximum loan to value, and product fees vary in the same way.

Because a judgment's grade can improve as it ages, the length of the fixed rate is worth choosing with the next remortgage in mind. A shorter fix can end soon after the judgment passes the next age threshold used by the lenders that suit your case. A longer fix gives certain payments for longer but can carry an [early repayment charge](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-early-repayment-charge) if you leave early. Our [fixed term mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/fixed-term-mortgages) page explains how fixed rates are priced.

**A CCJ on your file, or one you have just found?** Get in touch with your credit report showing the judgment's date, amount and status. Those three facts decide which lenders can consider it and on what terms.

## CCJ mortgage criteria

**Lenders check the same facts on every CCJ case, and each sets its own limits for them.** Four rows in the table rest on published rules, as at October 2026: after six years (GOV.UK and Registry Trust), the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme (HM Treasury), remortgage (the FCA) and buy to let (the Prudential Regulation Authority, for banks and building societies). The other rows describe how lenders' own limits differ; those limits change often, and the lender's [underwriting](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-underwriting) decides each case. In Mortgage Lane's experience, applicants with adverse credit are usually limited to around 90% loan to value with the lenders we use, so a 10% deposit is a more realistic starting point than 5% ([90% LTV mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/90-ltv-mortgages) and [95% mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/95-percent-mortgages) cover the two bands).

## CCJ mortgage criteria

*CCJ mortgage criteria*

| Criterion | How it works |
| --- | --- |
| Date of judgment | Usually the most important fact. Lenders set their own minimum time since the judgment, and the choice of lenders generally widens as it ages. |
| Number of judgments | One judgment is accepted more widely than several. Lenders that accept more than one set their own maximum number. |
| Value | Lenders set their own thresholds, and some disregard a small judgment or a small total. Telecoms and utility judgments are treated differently by some lenders. |
| Status | A satisfied judgment is accepted more widely than an unsatisfied one. Some lenders accept an unsatisfied judgment; others require it to be paid, and the register updated, before completion. |
| Loan to value | Varies by lender and by how serious and recent the credit history is. In our experience adverse credit lending usually stops at around 90%, and heavier histories can mean a lower limit. |
| Mortgage Guarantee Scheme (91% to 95%) | Excludes credit-impaired borrowers. Judgments totalling more than £500 count, unless the debt was paid within one month of judgment or at least three years before completion. |
| Other adverse credit | Defaults, missed payments, a debt management plan, an IVA or bankruptcy are assessed with the judgment as one credit history. |
| Joint applications | Both applicants' credit files are checked, and one applicant's judgment applies to the whole application. |
| Remortgage | A new lender assesses the judgment as on a purchase. A product transfer with no extra borrowing and no change to the terms that matters for affordability does not need a new affordability assessment under FCA rules. |
| Buy to let | Assessed mainly on the rent; banks and building societies follow the PRA's underwriting standards. The lender's own rules on judgments still apply. |
| After six years | The judgment drops off the register and the credit files. An application form that asks about past judgments must still be answered accurately. |
| Evidence | Credit reports, a register search, proof of payment or a certificate of satisfaction or cancellation, and a short explanation of what happened. |

The after six years row is from GOV.UK and Registry Trust, the scheme row from HM Treasury's 2025 Mortgage Guarantee Scheme rules, the remortgage row from FCA rule MCOB 11.6.3R and the buy to let row from the PRA's SS13/16, checked 6 October 2026. The loan to value row is Mortgage Lane's experience, not a market rule. The other rows describe how lenders vary; each lender's criteria and underwriting decide a case.

## How lenders assess a CCJ

**Lenders place a CCJ on four measures (its date, the number of judgments, their value and whether they are satisfied) and read the rest of the credit file around it.** The date usually matters most. A judgment registered in the last 12 months narrows the choice of lenders the furthest, and the choice tends to widen as the judgment ages, so an older satisfied judgment can fall within some high street lenders' standard criteria. Registry Trust's guide to CCJs makes the same point: older and satisfied judgments do less harm to a credit record than recent unsatisfied ones, and many lenders view satisfied judgments more favourably as they age ([Registry Trust: guide to CCJs](https://www.registry-trust.org.uk/court-judgments/ccj-guide)).

Some lenders disregard a single small judgment, or judgments below a total they set, while several judgments or a large total usually mean a lower loan to value or a specialist lender. On status, some lenders that accept an unsatisfied judgment ask for it to be paid before completion, with the register updated or the court's certificate to show it. Some underwriters also ask what caused the judgment, such as a disputed bill or a period of illness, and they look at conduct since: a credit file with no new [missed payments](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-missed-payment) after the judgment helps the case.

The judgment sits alongside the usual [affordability](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-affordability) assessment. The lender still checks income and outgoings, and payments you are making under the judgment, or on any other debt, are part of those outgoings. Other adverse entries are read together with it: [defaults](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-credit-default), further missed payments, a [debt management plan](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-debt-management-plan), an [individual voluntary arrangement](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-individual-voluntary-arrangement) or a [bankruptcy](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-bankruptcy). A judgment with nothing else on the file is a different case from one of several entries from the same period.

How the facts are applied depends on the lender. Many high street lenders use automated credit scoring, so a judgment that a specialist lender's underwriter would accept can fail a high street score before anyone reads the file; our guide to a [mortgage declined on credit score](https://mortgagelane.com/guides/declined-mortgages/mortgage-declined-on-credit-score) covers that outcome. Specialist lenders more often underwrite the case by hand against their published criteria. There is no single list of mortgage lenders that accept CCJs, because each lender publishes its own rules, so some borrowers use a CCJ mortgage broker to check which lenders' current criteria fit before applying.

A judgment that a specialist underwriter, reading the file by hand, would accept can still be turned down by a high street lender's automated credit score before any person looks at the case.

## Types of CCJ case, and where each sits

**The same judgment is a different case at one month, one year, three years and six years, and different again depending on whether it has been paid.**

### Satisfied CCJ

A judgment paid in full after the first month and marked satisfied on the register is the most favourable position short of removal. Specialist lenders accept it more widely and on better terms than an unpaid one, and once it is a few years old some high street lenders accept it on their standard criteria. For a loan above 90% under the 2025 Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, a judgment paid three years or more before completion no longer makes the borrower credit-impaired.

To have the register updated, you or the creditor write to the court with proof of payment, and the court tells Registry Trust. For your own proof, the court issues a certificate of satisfaction if you send form N443 and a £19 fee (as at October 2026). If the creditor will not confirm the payment, the court writes to them and, if they do not reply within 30 days, decides on your evidence, such as a bank statement ([GOV.UK: getting a certificate of satisfaction](https://www.gov.uk/county-court-judgments-ccj-for-debt/ccjs-and-your-credit-rating)). A judgment that has been paid but not yet marked satisfied still shows as unsatisfied, and Registry Trust suggests allowing four to eight weeks for the court, the register and the credit files to update, so it is worth starting well before an application.

**Get in touch** with the certificate of satisfaction and your credit report.

### Unsatisfied CCJ

An unpaid judgment narrows the choice further. Some specialist lenders accept one where the amount is within their limits and the judgment is old enough. Others accept it only if it is paid before completion, from savings or from the new mortgage on a remortgage, and some high street lenders decline it. Paying it before applying, and having it marked satisfied, usually widens the choice of lenders. If you cannot pay in full, you can ask the court to change the terms of the judgment on form N245 ([GOV.UK: paying a judgment](https://www.gov.uk/county-court-judgments-ccj-for-debt/pay-the-judgment-if-you-do-owe-the-money)); Mortgage Lane does not give debt advice, and GOV.UK points to free debt advice through MoneyHelper ([GOV.UK: options for dealing with your debts](https://www.gov.uk/options-for-dealing-with-your-debts)).

**Get in touch** with the judgment details. Whether to pay it before applying is the first decision.

### CCJ registered in the last 12 months

A judgment less than a year old is the narrowest case. A small number of specialist lenders may consider it, usually at their heaviest grades with the lowest loan to value limits, and many other lenders decline it. Waiting until it is more than 12 months old, and paying it where possible, widens the choice. A purchase that cannot wait can be placed with a specialist lender now, with a plan to remortgage once the judgment is older. If the judgment was entered in the last few weeks, paying it in full within one calendar month of the judgment date and having it cancelled removes it from the register altogether.

**Get in touch** with the date of judgment, which matters more than the amount at this stage.

### CCJ over three years old

A satisfied judgment registered more than three years ago is accepted by some high street lenders on their standard criteria and by specialist lenders at their lightest grades. An unsatisfied judgment of the same age usually stays with specialist lenders. With the six-year removal in sight, the choice is often between a specialist product now and waiting for the file to clear, and a short fixed rate can cover the gap between the two.

**Get in touch** with the registration date and status.

### Multiple CCJs

Several judgments are assessed on their number, total value and dates. Two small satisfied judgments from one period of difficulty usually read better than two recent unsatisfied ones. Lenders that accept more than one set their own maximum number and total value, and the loan to value they offer tends to fall as the number rises. Where the judgments sit alongside defaults or missed payments, the whole file is assessed together: see [mortgages with defaults](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/mortgages-with-defaults) and [mortgages with missed payments](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/mortgages-with-missed-payments).

**Get in touch** with every judgment's date, amount and status.

### Small CCJs: telecoms and utilities

Many judgments are small: Registry Trust recorded 322,076 consumer judgments in England and Wales between April and June 2026, and 45% of them were for less than £500 ([Registry Trust: Q2 2026 statistics](https://registry-trust.org.uk/court-judgment-statistics/q2-2026-summary)). Some lenders disregard a judgment below a threshold they set, and some treat a telecoms or utility judgment from a billing dispute differently from unpaid credit; the thresholds and the treatment vary by lender. The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme draws its line at a total of more than £500. A small judgment paid in full within one calendar month of the judgment date can be cancelled, so it never stays on the file.

**Get in touch** if the judgment is small, because some lenders may not count it.

### A CCJ you did not know about

Judgments entered in default, where the claim went to an old address and was never answered, can come to light at a mortgage application. In England and Wales the court must set aside a default judgment that was wrongly entered, for example where the whole claim had been paid before judgment. It may set one aside where the defendant has a real prospect of successfully defending the claim or there is some other good reason, and it takes into account whether the application was made promptly ([Civil Procedure Rules, Part 13](https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules/part13)). The application is on form N244, you may have to pay a court fee of £321 (as at October 2026), and there is a private hearing ([GOV.UK: cancel the judgment](https://www.gov.uk/county-court-judgments-ccj-for-debt/cancel-the-judgment)). If the creditor agrees, the two sides can ask the court to set the judgment aside by consent, which a judge then considers. A judgment that is set aside is removed from the register and the credit files. Where the debt is genuine, paying it and having it marked satisfied is the alternative.

The register can be searched on TrustOnline for £6 to £10 a search (as at October 2026), and you have the right to a free copy of your credit file from each credit reference agency ([ICO: credit](https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/credit/)). Registry Trust supplies judgment data to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, and each lender chooses which agency it uses, so checking all three shows what any lender may see. Mortgage Lane does not give legal advice; a solicitor or a free advice service can help with a set-aside application.

**Get in touch** with the judgment details. A set-aside application may serve you better than a specialist mortgage.

### Joint mortgage with a CCJ

On a [joint mortgage](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-joint-mortgage) the lender checks both applicants' credit files, and a judgment against one of them applies to the whole application. The options are a joint application to a lender whose criteria accept the judgment, or a sole application by the applicant with the clear file, on their income alone, which works where that income supports the loan. Our [single person mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/single-person-mortgages) page covers the sole route. A joint borrower sole proprietor mortgage adds a borrower's income without adding them to the title, but every borrower's credit file is still checked ([JBSP mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/jbsp-mortgages)).

**Get in touch** with both credit reports and both incomes.

### Remortgaging with a CCJ

A remortgage to a new lender is assessed against that lender's credit criteria in the same way as a purchase. With a [product transfer](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-product-transfer) to a new deal with your existing lender, where there is no extra borrowing and no change to the terms that matters for affordability, the FCA's rules do not require the lender to reassess affordability ([FCA Handbook: MCOB 11.6.3R](https://handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/mcob11/mcob11s7)). That can make it the simpler route where a judgment was registered after the current mortgage began. Some lenders will consider extra borrowing to pay off the judgment, as part of a remortgage or as [debt consolidation](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/debt-consolidation-mortgages), and the new loan is then assessed on the file as it stands. Our [remortgage with bad credit](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/remortgage-with-bad-credit) page compares these routes.

**Get in touch** with your current lender's product transfer options and the judgment details.

### Buy to let with a CCJ

A buy to let mortgage is assessed mainly on the rent. The lender tests the rent against the mortgage interest at a stressed rate (an [interest cover ratio](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-interest-coverage-ratio)). Banks and building societies do this under the Prudential Regulation Authority's [buy to let underwriting standards](https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/prudential-regulation/publication/2016/underwriting-standards-for-buy-to-let-mortgage-contracts-ss), and other lenders set their own tests. A judgment leaves that test unchanged and decides which buy to let lenders will consider the case and on what terms, as our page on [bad credit buy to let mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/bad-credit-buy-to-let-mortgages) explains. [Portfolio landlords](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-portfolio-landlord), with four or more mortgaged buy to let properties, are also assessed across the whole portfolio. The mechanics are in the [buy to let mortgage guide](https://mortgagelane.com/guides/buy-to-let-mortgage-guide).

**Get in touch** with the property, the rent and the judgment.

### First-time buyers with a CCJ

A first-time buyer with a judgment can use the same routes as any other buyer, within the lender's credit rules. [Shared ownership](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-shared-ownership) reduces the loan, and in our experience needs at least a 10% deposit on the share bought ([shared ownership mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/shared-ownership-mortgages)). Family help, through a [gifted deposit](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-gifted-deposit) or a family assisted mortgage, can make up a larger deposit ([family help mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/family-help-mortgages)). The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, which supports loans of 91% to 95%, excludes credit-impaired borrowers, and its rules count anyone with judgments totalling more than £500 as credit-impaired unless the debt was paid within one month of judgment or at least three years before completion ([HM Treasury: 2025 Mortgage Guarantee Scheme rules](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2025-mortgage-guarantee-scheme/2025-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-rules-accessible)). With adverse credit lending usually stopping at around 90% on the cases we arrange, a 10% deposit is a realistic starting point, and a larger deposit opens more lenders. The [first-time buyer mortgage guide](https://mortgagelane.com/guides/first-time-buyer-mortgage-guide) covers the schemes.

**Get in touch** with your deposit and the judgment. The deposit decides how many lenders can consider the case.

### Home insurance with a CCJ

Some buildings and contents insurers ask about county court judgments when you apply, and some decline or charge more when one is disclosed. When an insurer asks, the law requires you to take reasonable care not to give a wrong answer ([Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012, section 2](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/6/section/2)). The mortgage lender's own requirement for [buildings insurance](https://mortgagelane.com/insurance/buildings-and-contents-insurance) on the property applies in the usual way, and your mortgage offer and conveyancer confirm when cover must start.

## How a CCJ mortgage is arranged

1. **The file and the register.** Credit reports from the agencies and a register search; each judgment's date, amount and status; what caused it; and whether to pay it, have it marked satisfied or apply to set it aside before applying, allowing four to eight weeks for any update to reach the credit files.
2. **Lender match.** The judgments set against each lender's rules on date, number, value and status; the lender chosen for its criteria, its loan to value limit and its pricing; the deposit checked against that limit and the income against the loan, usually as a multiple of income after commitments.
3. **Agreement in principle and full application.** An [agreement in principle](https://mortgagelane.com/definitions#def-agreement-in-principle) with the judgment disclosed; the full application with the certificate of satisfaction or proof of payment; the lender's valuation and its final decision.
4. **Offer, completion and the next step.** The mortgage offer and completion, with the product term chosen so that the next remortgage falls after the judgment has aged past the lender thresholds that matter for your case.

## The CCJ timeline: what changes and when

**A CCJ passes fixed points on the register as it ages, and at each point the deposit decides which lenders' limits you can meet.**

### Step 1. The register's milestones

The register works the same way for every registered CCJ in England and Wales. The dates run from the date of judgment, which can be weeks or months before the date you found out about it.

## Register milestones in England and Wales

*Register milestones in England and Wales*

| Point in time | What happens on the register | Effect on the credit file |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Date of judgment | The court sends most money judgments to Registry Trust for the register | Shows on the credit files once the agencies receive it |
| Paid in full within one calendar month | Cancelled on proof of payment to the court; a certificate of cancellation costs £19 | Removed from the register and the credit files |
| Paid in full after one calendar month | Marked satisfied on proof of payment to the court; a certificate of satisfaction costs £19 | Stays, shown as satisfied, until six years from the date of judgment |
| Set aside by the court | Removed from the register | Removed from the credit files |
| Six years from the date of judgment | Drops off the register, paid or not | No longer shows on the credit files |

England and Wales. GOV.UK county court judgments for debt and Registry Trust, checked 6 October 2026. In Scotland and Northern Ireland proof of payment goes to Registry Trust directly.

### Step 2. How lenders' rules change as it ages

Lenders set their own time bands, so the rows below describe the general direction, and each lender's criteria decide a case. Two points are fixed by published rules. The register removal comes six years after the date of judgment. The Mortgage Guarantee Scheme line counts from the date the debt was paid: a debt paid at least three years before completion no longer makes the borrower credit-impaired, so an old judgment paid recently still counts.

## How the choice of lenders changes with age

*How the choice of lenders changes with age*

| Age of the judgment | How the choice of lenders generally changes |
| --- | --- |
| Under 12 months | The fewest lenders, mainly specialist, with the lowest loan to value limits. Paying in full within the first month removes it altogether. |
| 12 to 24 months | More specialist lenders consider it, and a satisfied judgment is usually treated better than an unsatisfied one. |
| 24 to 36 months | More choice again, and some lenders' standard criteria accept a small satisfied judgment. |
| 3 years or more, satisfied | Some high street lenders on standard criteria. Outside the Mortgage Guarantee Scheme's credit-impaired definition only if the debt was paid at least three years before completion. |
| 6 years or more | Off the register and the credit files. An application that asks about past judgments must still be answered accurately. |

The general direction only, not any lender's rule: lenders set their own time bands, limits and grades. Fixed points from HM Treasury's 2025 Mortgage Guarantee Scheme rules and GOV.UK, checked 6 October 2026.

### Step 3. What the deposit decides

An illustrative case, not a product or an offer: a £250,000 purchase, a £25,000 deposit and a gross income of £50,000 with no other credit commitments. At 5 times income, the standard multiple in Mortgage Lane's experience, the income supports £250,000, so the loan to value limit decides the case. The table shows the deposit at three limits a lender might set for the credit history: 90%, the usual ceiling for adverse credit on the cases we arrange, and 85% and 75% as lower examples. Payments are worked over 30 years at 5.2%, the illustrative rate used across our guides, which is not a product rate.

## Deposit at three loan to value limits on a £250,000 purchase

*Deposit at three loan to value limits on a £250,000 purchase*

| Loan to value limit (illustrative) | Maximum loan | Deposit needed | Shortfall on a £25,000 deposit | Monthly payment on the maximum loan, 5.2% over 30 years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 90% | £225,000 | £25,000 | £0 | £1,235.50 |
| 85% | £212,500 | £37,500 | £12,500 | £1,166.86 |
| 75% | £187,500 | £62,500 | £37,500 | £1,029.58 |

Illustrative arithmetic on hypothetical figures, worked with the calculator on this page. The limits are examples, not lender terms; 90% reflects Mortgage Lane's experience that adverse credit lending usually stops at around 90%. 5.2% is an illustrative rate, not a product rate. Not an offer of finance.

On these figures, a 75% limit needs £37,500 more deposit than a 90% limit for the same home, and £25,000 more than an 85% limit. The 75% loan costs £205.92 a month less than the 90% loan, but only a borrower with the extra cash can use it. Waiting for a judgment to age, or paying it and having it marked satisfied, can therefore matter more than any difference in rate. Fees and purchase costs come on top of the deposit. Our [85% LTV mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/85-ltv-mortgages) page covers borrowing at that band.

### Step 4. The two-step route

A borrower whose satisfied judgment is 18 months old takes a specialist product with a two-year fixed rate. When it ends, the judgment is three and a half years old and, if every payment is made on time, the file has two more clean years. The remortgage can then go to a wider choice of lenders, which may include some high street lenders. A five-year fix taken at the same point would run past the judgment's sixth anniversary, when it leaves the file. The first product is chosen for the exit it allows as well as its rate, and any early repayment charge is part of that choice.

Our [IVA mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/iva-mortgages) and [mortgages after bankruptcy](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/bankruptcy-mortgages) pages cover formal insolvency, and [low income mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/low-income-mortgages) covers cases where both income and credit limit the choice of lenders.

### What decides the case

The judgment's date and amount are fixed. You control whether it is paid and marked satisfied, whether to seek a set-aside, the size of the deposit and when to apply, and the broker's job is the choice of lender. Check the credit files and the register first, because every later step depends on what they show.

## Related topics

- [2026](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/single-person-mortgages)Mortgage[Single Person Mortgages, Buying Alone and Applying Alone](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/single-person-mortgages)Single person mortgages: how much one income can borrow, buying alone, applying alone when married, joint mortgages on one income and joint to sole transfers.[Read more about Single Person Mortgages, Buying Alone and Applying Alone](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/single-person-mortgages)
- [2026](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/low-income-mortgages)Mortgage[Low Income Mortgages, Benefits, Schemes and Borrowing](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/low-income-mortgages)How to get a mortgage on a low income: what a modest salary can borrow, which benefits lenders count, and how schemes, longer terms and family help stretch it.[Read more about Low Income Mortgages, Benefits, Schemes and Borrowing](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/low-income-mortgages)
- [2026](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/85-ltv-mortgages)Mortgage[85% LTV Mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/85-ltv-mortgages)85% LTV mortgages: 15% deposit residential lending, 85% buy to let (the highest landlord leverage we see) and the rent it needs, and mortgages to age 85.[Read more about 85% LTV Mortgages](https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/85-ltv-mortgages)

## CCJ mortgage calculator

The calculator shows the deposit a lender's loan to value limit needs, the most your income supports after credit commitments, and the monthly payment. The starting figures are the illustration on this page: a £250,000 purchase, a £25,000 deposit, £50,000 income and a 90% limit. Enter your own figures, and move the limit to see how a lower one for your credit history changes the deposit.

Explore your borrowing

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Enter your figures in pounds. Your estimate updates as you go.

Indicative maximum loan

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Loan to value

[Discuss your options](https://mortgagelane.com/contact)

Indicative estimate only, subject to lender criteria, affordability and valuation. Each lender sets its own loan to value limit for a CCJ, so the limit you enter is an assumption. This is not a mortgage offer. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

## Frequently asked questions about CCJ mortgages

**Q: Can you get a mortgage with a CCJ?**

faq-id: can-you-get-a-mortgage-with-a-ccj

Yes, you can get a mortgage with a county court judgment (CCJ), from specialist lenders whose criteria accept it and, where it is small, satisfied and a few years old, from some high street lenders. Lenders look at when the judgment was registered, how many there are, their total value and whether they have been paid. Those facts decide which lenders will consider the application, the maximum loan to value and the rate. In Mortgage Lane's experience, applicants with adverse credit are usually limited to around 90% loan to value, so a deposit of at least 10% is a realistic starting point.

**Q: How do you get a mortgage with a CCJ?**

faq-id: how-do-you-get-a-mortgage-with-a-ccj

You get a mortgage with a county court judgment (CCJ) by establishing the facts of the judgment and then matching them to a lender. Check your credit reports and the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines for each judgment's date, amount and status. Decide whether to pay it and have it marked satisfied, or to apply to set it aside if you did not owe the money or never received the claim. Then save the deposit the likely lenders need and apply to a lender whose criteria accept the judgment. A broker can check current criteria before any application is made.

**Q: Which mortgage lenders accept CCJs?**

faq-id: which-mortgage-lenders-accept-ccjs

Mortgage lenders that accept county court judgments (CCJs) are mainly specialist lenders, together with some high street lenders whose standard criteria allow a small, satisfied judgment that is a few years old. Each lender sets its own rules on the time since the judgment, the number of judgments, their total value and whether they must be satisfied, and those rules change often. Because the rules differ, one lender may consider a case that another declines. A broker can compare the current criteria of the lenders that fit before an application goes in.

**Q: Can I get a mortgage with a satisfied CCJ?**

faq-id: can-i-get-a-mortgage-with-a-satisfied-ccj

Yes, and a satisfied county court judgment (CCJ) is accepted more widely than an unsatisfied one. Specialist lenders accept it on better terms, and once it is a few years old some high street lenders accept it on their standard criteria. Under the 2025 Mortgage Guarantee Scheme rules, a judgment paid three years or more before completion no longer makes a borrower credit-impaired. Lenders ask for evidence of payment, such as a register search showing the judgment as satisfied or the court's certificate of satisfaction, which costs £19 with form N443 as at October 2026 ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/county-court-judgments-ccj-for-debt/ccjs-and-your-credit-rating)).

**Q: Can I get a mortgage with an unsatisfied CCJ?**

faq-id: can-i-get-a-mortgage-with-an-unsatisfied-ccj

You can get a mortgage with an unsatisfied county court judgment (CCJ) from some specialist lenders, where its value is within their limits and it was registered long enough ago. Some lenders, high street lenders among them, decline an unsatisfied judgment, and others accept one only if it is paid before completion. Paying it before you apply, and having it marked satisfied on the register, usually widens the choice of lenders and can improve the terms. If you cannot pay it in full, you can ask the court to change the payment terms, and free debt advice is available through MoneyHelper.

**Q: How long after a CCJ can I get a mortgage?**

faq-id: how-long-after-a-ccj-can-i-get-a-mortgage

There is no fixed waiting time after a county court judgment (CCJ), because some specialist lenders consider a judgment that is only months old, and the choice of lenders generally widens as it gets older. A judgment under 12 months old leaves the fewest options. After a year or two, more specialist lenders consider it, and some high street lenders accept a satisfied judgment over three years old. Under the 2025 Mortgage Guarantee Scheme rules, a judgment no longer makes a borrower credit-impaired once the debt was paid at least three years before completion. Six years from the date of judgment it drops off the register and the credit files.

**Q: How many CCJs can you have and still get a mortgage?**

faq-id: how-many-ccjs-can-you-have-and-still-get-a-mortgage

There is no fixed number of county court judgments (CCJs) you can have and still get a mortgage, because each lender sets its own maximum number and total value. One judgment is accepted more widely than several, and two small satisfied judgments from one period of difficulty usually read better than two recent unsatisfied ones. Each extra judgment tends to lower the loan to value a lender offers and reduce the number of lenders that will consider the case. The total value, the dates and whether each judgment has been paid all count.

**Q: Can you get a joint mortgage with a CCJ?**

faq-id: can-you-get-a-joint-mortgage-with-a-ccj

Yes, you can get a joint mortgage where one applicant has a county court judgment (CCJ). The lender checks both credit files and the judgment applies to the whole application, which usually means a lender whose criteria accept it, often a specialist lender. The other route is a sole application by the applicant with the clear credit file, on their income alone, which works where that income supports the loan. The two routes differ on ownership and on who is liable for the mortgage, so they are worth comparing before you apply.

**Q: Can you remortgage with a CCJ?**

faq-id: can-you-remortgage-with-a-ccj

Yes, you can remortgage with a county court judgment (CCJ). A remortgage to a new lender is assessed against that lender's credit criteria, as a purchase would be. A product transfer to a new deal with your existing lender is usually simpler: where there is no extra borrowing and no change to the terms that matters for affordability, the FCA's rules do not require the lender to reassess affordability ([MCOB 11.6.3R](https://handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/mcob11/mcob11s7)). Some lenders will also consider extra borrowing to pay off the judgment itself, assessed on your credit file as it stands.

**Q: Are CCJ mortgage rates higher?**

faq-id: are-ccj-mortgage-rates-higher

CCJ mortgage rates are usually higher than standard rates, by an amount that depends on the lender and on how serious and how recent the judgment is. Lenders price every mortgage by loan to value, and lenders that accept adverse credit may also grade the credit history by the date, number, value and status of judgments. A small satisfied judgment several years old can be priced close to standard products, while a recent or unsatisfied one is usually priced higher. Rates change often, so any case needs a current comparison.

**Q: Does a CCJ stop you getting a mortgage?**

faq-id: does-a-ccj-stop-you-getting-a-mortgage

No, a county court judgment (CCJ) does not by itself stop you getting a mortgage. It reduces the number of lenders that will consider you, usually lowers the maximum loan to value and can raise the rate, by amounts that depend on the age, number, value and status of the judgments. A judgment paid in full within one calendar month of the judgment date can be cancelled, which removes it from the register and the credit files so it does not affect a later application.

**Q: What is a CCJ?**

faq-id: what-is-a-ccj

A county court judgment (CCJ) is a court order in England and Wales to pay a debt, made when a creditor's claim succeeds or the person it is against does not respond. Most money judgments are sent to Registry Trust for the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines, and the credit reference agencies add them to credit files. A CCJ stays on the register for six years from the date of judgment unless it is paid in full within one calendar month or the court sets it aside ([Registry Trust](https://www.registry-trust.org.uk/court-judgments/england-and-wales/ccjs)). Scotland's equivalent is a decree.

**Q: Can a CCJ be removed from my credit file?**

faq-id: can-a-ccj-be-removed-from-my-credit-file

Yes, a county court judgment (CCJ) is removed from the register and your credit file if you pay it in full within one calendar month of the judgment date and the court cancels it, if the court sets it aside, or once six years have passed since the date of judgment. You can apply to set a judgment aside if you did not owe the money or did not receive or respond to the claim. The application is on form N244 and you may have to pay a court fee of £321, as at October 2026 ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/county-court-judgments-ccj-for-debt/cancel-the-judgment)). Paying after the first month marks the judgment satisfied, and it stays for the six years.

**Q: What is a satisfied CCJ?**

faq-id: what-is-a-satisfied-ccj

A satisfied county court judgment (CCJ) is one that has been paid in full after the first calendar month and marked as paid on the register. You or the creditor send proof of payment to the court, which tells Registry Trust, and the court can issue a certificate of satisfaction if you send form N443 and a £19 fee (as at October 2026). A satisfied judgment stays on the register and the credit files until six years from the date of judgment, and anyone searching the register sees that it has been paid ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/county-court-judgments-ccj-for-debt/ccjs-and-your-credit-rating)).

**Q: Do small CCJs affect a mortgage?**

faq-id: do-small-ccjs-affect-a-mortgage

Small county court judgments (CCJs) can affect a mortgage, usually less than large ones. Some lenders disregard a judgment below a threshold they set, and some treat a telecoms or utility judgment from a billing dispute differently from unpaid credit, although the thresholds vary by lender. The 2025 Mortgage Guarantee Scheme rules only treat judgments as making a borrower credit-impaired where they total more than £500. A small judgment paid in full within one calendar month of the judgment date can be cancelled and removed from the credit files.

**Q: What if I did not know about a CCJ?**

faq-id: what-if-i-did-not-know-about-a-ccj

If you did not know about a county court judgment (CCJ), it may have been entered in default, for example after the claim form went to an old address. Check the register and your credit files for the court and case number, then contact the court. If you did not owe the money, or did not receive the claim, you can apply on form N244 to have the judgment set aside, and the court looks at whether you applied promptly; a judgment that is set aside is removed. If the debt is genuine, paying it and having it marked satisfied is the alternative. A solicitor or a free advice service can help with the application.

**Q: Can a first-time buyer get a mortgage with a CCJ?**

faq-id: can-a-first-time-buyer-get-a-mortgage-with-a-ccj

Yes, a first-time buyer can get a mortgage with a county court judgment (CCJ) from a lender whose criteria accept it, and shared ownership or family help can reduce the loan or add to the deposit. The 2025 Mortgage Guarantee Scheme, which supports loans of 91% to 95%, excludes borrowers with judgments totalling more than £500 unless the debt was paid within one month of judgment or at least three years before completion. In Mortgage Lane's experience, adverse credit lending usually stops at around 90% loan to value, so a deposit of 10% or more opens more options.

**Q: Does a CCJ affect home insurance?**

faq-id: does-a-ccj-affect-home-insurance

A county court judgment (CCJ) can affect home insurance, because some buildings and contents insurers ask about judgments when you apply and may decline or charge more when one is disclosed. When an insurer asks, you must take reasonable care not to give a wrong answer, under the Consumer Insurance (Disclosure and Representations) Act 2012 ([legislation.gov.uk](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2012/6/section/2)). Your mortgage lender still requires buildings insurance on the property, and your mortgage offer and conveyancer confirm when cover must start.

**Q: Can I get a buy to let mortgage with a CCJ?**

faq-id: can-i-get-a-buy-to-let-mortgage-with-a-ccj

Yes, you can get a buy to let mortgage with a county court judgment (CCJ) from buy to let lenders whose credit criteria accept it. The loan is assessed mainly on the rent, which is tested against the mortgage interest at a stressed rate; banks and building societies do this under the Prudential Regulation Authority's underwriting standards. The judgment decides which lenders will consider the case and on what terms. Landlords with four or more mortgaged buy to let properties are also assessed across the whole portfolio. Each lender's own rules on the age, number, value and status of judgments apply.

**Q: What happens after a CCJ is six years old?**

faq-id: what-happens-after-a-ccj-is-six-years-old

Six years after the date of judgment, a county court judgment (CCJ) drops off the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines and the credit files, whether or not it was paid, so lenders no longer see it in a credit check. Removal from the register does not by itself clear the debt, and Registry Trust notes that some judgments can still be enforced after six years ([Registry Trust](https://www.registry-trust.org.uk/court-judgments/ccj-guide)). If a mortgage application asks whether you have ever had a judgment, the answer must still be accurate.

## Talk it through with an adviser

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Published: 2026-10-06

Last reviewed: 2026-10-08

Source: https://mortgagelane.com/mortgages/ccj-mortgages