How to remove a CCJ from your credit file

You may be able to get a CCJ removed from your credit file early for two reasons:

• if a mistake has been made
• if you pay what you owe within a month of the judgment

If a mistake has been made

If a mistake has been made in the CCJ process, the court may agree to cancel it. This is known as setting aside.

If your CCJ is set aside, it will be removed from your credit file.

To get a CCJ set aside, you’ll need to fill in an N244 form and return it to the court. There’s a £275 fee but, if you’re on a low income, you may be able to get help paying this fee.

How to get a CCJ set aside   

You may be able to get a CCJ set aside if it was made without your response being taken into account. This might happen if:

• You didn’t receive the claim form because of problems with the post.
• The claim form was delivered to an old address.
• The lender ignored your response to the claim form or asked for a judgment too early.

As well as this, you’ll need a defence stating why you don’t owe the money. Possible defences include:

• The debt was taken out over six years ago. After this length of time, you can’t be asked to pay most debts. This is known as a statute barred debt.
• The debt was paid in full before the judgment was raised.
• Information on the CCJ is inaccurate e.g. the amount you’re being asked to pay has been worked out incorrectly.

What happens if a CCJ is set aside?

If a CCJ is set aside:

• the judgment is cancelled
• the CCJ is removed from your credit file

This doesn’t mean the debt is written off or that court action necessarily stops. You and the lender are put back in the position you were before the CCJ was made.

If you have a defence against the claim you didn’t get to raise during the original CCJ process, you’ll get another chance to do this.

If you pay off your CCJ in full within a month of the judgment, the CCJ is discharged. You can apply to have a discharged CCJ removed from your credit file.

Paying off a CCJ within a month of the judgment

If you pay off your CCJ in full within a month of the judgment, the CCJ is discharged. You can apply to have a discharged CCJ removed from your credit file.

You’ll need to fill in a N443 application to a apply for a certificate of satisfaction/cancellation.

There’s a £14 fee but if you’re on a low income you may be able to get help paying this fee.

Once you’ve sent the court evidence that you’ve paid the CCJ within a month, the CCJ should be removed from your credit file.

Yes, your credit score should go up when a CCJ is removed. This may make it easier for you to borrow from mainstream lenders.

There’s a £275 fee to get a CCJ set aside and a £14 fee for a certificate of satisfaction/cancellation for a discharged CCJ.

If you’re on a low income, you can sometimes get help paying court fees.