Can you get a mortgage with a CCJ?

Yes. Some lenders consider applicants with a county court judgment on their credit file, particularly when it is small, settled and a few years old. Recent, large or unsatisfied CCJs narrow the choice to specialist lenders, who set their own limits on the number, size and age of judgments they accept.

A county court judgment is a court order to repay a debt, issued when a creditor takes legal action. In Scotland the equivalent is a decree, and the same principles apply to how lenders read it on a credit file.

A CCJ stays on the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines and on credit files for 6 years from the date of judgment (GOV.UK, accessed 20 Oct 2026). If it is paid in full within one month of the judgment, it can be removed from the register altogether (GOV.UK, accessed 20 Oct 2026).

Paying a judgment later marks it as satisfied but does not remove it from the register or the credit files.

Once the period has passed, the CCJ drops off the file automatically. Lenders can see it until then, and many ask on the application form whether there have been any judgments in recent years.

A satisfied CCJ is one that has been paid in full, and the register shows the date it was satisfied. Lenders usually view a satisfied CCJ more favourably than an unpaid one, because it shows the debt was dealt with. A certificate of satisfaction from the court is the standard evidence of payment for a lender.

Recent CCJs carry more weight than older ones. A judgment from the last year or two is treated very differently from one that is close to dropping off the file, and lenders also look at whether there are other problems recorded alongside it, such as defaults or missed payments.

Lenders check the date of the judgment, the amount, whether it is satisfied, who the creditor was and whether there is more than one. A single small CCJ for a disputed utility bill reads differently from several large judgments for unpaid loans, and the explanation behind it can matter to a specialist lender.

Deposit and income are assessed in the usual way. A larger deposit lowers the loan-to-value and opens up more lenders, while affordability checks still apply in full. How lenders treat other kinds of adverse credit alongside a CCJ is covered in the adverse credit mortgages guide.

Paying off an unsatisfied CCJ and getting the certificate of satisfaction is usually the first step. Checking all three credit files shows whether the judgment is recorded correctly, including the satisfied date. Errors can be raised with the credit reference agency, and a judgment entered wrongly can sometimes be set aside by the court.

Keeping other accounts up to date, registering on the electoral roll and avoiding new credit applications in the months before applying all help. Saving a larger deposit gives more choice of lenders and better pricing.

CCJ mortgages are usually priced higher than standard deals while the judgment is recent, and pricing improves as it ages and once it is satisfied. Arrangement and broker fees vary, so comparing the total cost over the deal period gives a fairer view than the headline rate. Rates change often, so dated quotes on the case matter.

Many applicants take a shorter fixed period, then move to a mainstream deal once the CCJ has dropped off the file. Brokers who arrange adverse credit cases can be compared on the adverse credit mortgage brokers page, by rating, reviews and region.