Process
County Court Judgment (CCJ)
A County Court Judgment is a court-ordered ruling against someone who hasn't paid a debt. CCJs appear on credit files for six years and affect lender risk assessment.
Mainstream mortgage lenders typically reject any application with a CCJ in the last six years. Bridging is different — many specialist lenders on our panel (MT Finance, Greenfield) will consider CCJs case-by-case, particularly at lower LTVs and with a strong exit strategy.
Rate impact varies. A satisfied CCJ over three years old usually has minimal pricing impact. A recent unsatisfied CCJ will see the lender add 0.10-0.30% per month to the rate, or cap the LTV lower than they otherwise would.
What matters most is context. The lender wants to know: was the CCJ from a one-off life event (illness, redundancy, divorce) or a pattern of financial difficulty? A clear, honest explanation upfront — supported by current bank statements showing financial stability — gets a better outcome than trying to hide it.