Dealing with a County Court Judgment

These judgments are legally binding and should be taken seriously. If a person fails to comply with the order, there can be serious repercussions and further action can be taken.

The Process of Obtaining a CCJ

To obtain a County Court Judgment (CCJ), a creditor would need to initiate proceedings against a person or organisation which owes them money (the debtor) which they have been unable to recover directly.

The Judgment would allow the creditor to have the backing of the Court to legally enforce the payment of a debt against their debtor.

Enforcement

If the debtor fails to comply with the CCJ, the creditor has various options available to enforce the judgment. This includes applying for a warrant of control to seize and sell the debtor’s goods, an attachment of earnings order, or a charging order against the debtor’s property.

Time Limit for CCJ Enforcement: How Long Do You Have?

In England and Wales, a creditor has a general time limit of six years from the date of the County Court Judgment to enforce it.

This six-year period applies to most methods of enforcement, including but not limited to:

• Instructing bailiffs;
• Obtaining High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs);
• Enforcing and applying charging orders or attachment of earnings orders;
• Administering third party debt orders

What If 6 Years Have Passed?

Once the six-year time limit has passed, it becomes more difficult to enforce the judgment against a debtor. The creditor would need to obtain permission from the court to enforce the judgment. Courts are reluctant to grant the creditor permission unless they can provide evidence for the delay in them taking action to enforce the judgment.