Mortgages with CCJs.
Got a CCJ and need a mortgage? A specialist Birmingham broker helping clients with satisfied and unsatisfied CCJs find suitable lenders
If you have a County Court Judgment (CCJ) on your credit file, you may still have mortgage options. A CCJ does not automatically block you from a mortgage - it narrows the field of lenders rather than closing it. The outcome depends on the date of the CCJ, the amount, whether it has been satisfied, how many you have, the size of your deposit and your overall affordability.
Most high-street lenders are cautious about recent CCJs, but a number of specialist lenders assess these cases on their merits. At Mortgage Centre, we review the detail behind your CCJ before any lender is approached, so your application goes to a lender likely to consider it rather than decline it on sight.
What is a CCJ?
A County Court Judgment is a court order confirming that you owe money you have not repaid. It is recorded on the public register and on your credit file, where lenders can see it when assessing a mortgage application. Importantly, your credit report also shows whether the CCJ is satisfied or unsatisfied, so lenders can see whether you have taken steps to put it right - and that distinction matters a great deal.
Satisfied vs unsatisfied CCJs
A satisfied CCJ has been paid in full; a unsatisfied one is still outstanding. Lenders view a satisfied CCJ far more favourably, because settling the debt signals that you are back in control of your finances. Many specialist lenders will only consider an application once a CCJ is satisfied, and some require it to have been settled for at least 12 months. A smaller number will consider unsatisfied CCJs, but usually with stricter conditions such as a larger deposit, lower maximum loan and limits on the outstanding value. In some cases a lender may require the CCJ to be cleared from the mortgage funds at completion.
There is also one valuable quirk worth knowing: if you pay a CCJ in full within one month of the judgment date, you can apply to have it removed from the register entirely, as though it never happened.
What lenders consider
When assessing a mortgage application with a CCJ, lenders typically look at:
How recent it is - a CCJ from four years ago is treated very differently from one in the last 12 months.
Whether it is satisfied - and, if so, how long ago it was settled.
The amount - small CCJs (often under £500) are treated more leniently than large ones.
How many you have - a single CCJ is far easier to place than multiple judgments.
Your deposit - a larger deposit reduces the lender's risk and widens your options.
Other adverse credit and current conduct - a clean record since the CCJ helps considerably.
Income and affordability - the foundation of any application, CCJ or not.
No single factor decides the outcome on its own; it is the combination that determines which lenders may be able to help.
How long does a CCJ stay on your file?
A CCJ remains on your credit file and the public register for six years from the judgment date, whether or not it has been paid. Settling it does not remove it early (unless you pay within that one-month window), but a satisfied marker is viewed more positively and helps your credit score recover sooner. The good news is that impact fades with time - many specialist lenders focus on the last two to three years, and some effectively disregard a CCJ once it is more than three years old. After six years it drops off entirely.
How much deposit will you need?
There is no fixed figure, because the deposit required reflects the overall risk of the case. As a rough guide, a satisfied CCJ that is a couple of years old and modest in value might be considered with a deposit of around 15%, while recent, larger or unsatisfied CCJs typically call for 20% to 30% or more. In some stronger cases - an old, low-value, satisfied CCJ with otherwise clean credit - smaller deposits may be possible. A larger deposit not only improves your chances of acceptance but can also open up better rates. Bear in mind that specialist lending tends to carry higher interest rates than mainstream deals, reflecting the additional risk.
How Mortgage Centre helps
We review the CCJ details alongside your wider credit file, income, deposit and affordability before any lender is approached. This helps us identify lenders likely to take a suitable view of your circumstances, reducing the risk of unsuitable applications and avoidable declines, and means your case is presented in the strongest possible way.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a mortgage with a CCJ? Possibly. It depends on the CCJ's date, amount, satisfaction status, your deposit, affordability and the lender's criteria.
Does a CCJ need to be satisfied before I apply? Some lenders require this, while others may consider unsatisfied CCJs in certain circumstances, usually with a larger deposit.
Are recent CCJs harder? Yes. Recent CCJs are generally more difficult than older ones, particularly if they are unsatisfied or high in value.
How long does a CCJ affect my mortgage chances? It stays on your file for six years, but its impact lessens over time, and some lenders give less weight to CCJs older than three years.
Will paying off my CCJ remove it? Not unless you pay within one month of the judgment. Otherwise it stays for six years but is marked as satisfied, which lenders view more favourably.
Can you help if I am in Birmingham? Yes. We help clients across Birmingham, the West Midlands and the wider UK.