CCJ Sent to an Old Address: How to Apply to Set It Aside

Are you worried about a CCJ sent to your old address? Are you scared about a bailiff knocking on your door or taking your things?

Check the judgment and claim details promptly. The court can explain how to obtain copies, and an adviser can assess possible grounds for a set-aside.

This article will help you understand and deal with this tough situation. We’ll cover:

•  What a CCJ is and how to find out where it was issued.
•  How to get a copy of your credit record.
•  What steps you should take if you come across a CCJ.
•  How to seek legal advice and possibly write off some debt.
•  What happens if the claimant was not told about your new address.

Citizens Advice estimate households have around £18.9 billion in unpaid bills like council tax and utilities¹. So, being concerned about debt and its implications is common.

In fact, some of us here at MoneyNerd have faced debt collectors too. We know how it feels, and we’re here to help you.

Let’s dive into learning more about managing a CCJ sent to an old address and protecting your credit file.

What is a CCJ?

A County Court Judgement (CCJ) is an order from a judge that states you have to pay the debt. This means that the court agrees with your creditor, and you owe the money.

Your judgement will include the following:

• How much you owe
• How you should pay
• Who you should pay
• Your deadline to pay.

Unless you pay within one month of the CCJ being issued, it will be recorded in the Register of Judgements, Orders and Fines for 6 years. If you pay off your debt within these 6 years, you can request that your judgement is marked as ‘satisfied’ on the register.

To do this, write to the court with proof that you have paid off the debt in full.

Full payment within one calendar month of judgment allows you to seek removal from the register. Send proof to the court; do not assume that payment automatically prevents registration.

A CCJ normally appears on your credit file for six years from the judgment date unless it is removed earlier under the applicable rules. It can make borrowing harder or more expensive, but it does not make all credit impossible.

Lenders consider a CCJ when assessing credit risk. A default judgment can arise without a defended hearing, so its existence does not prove that you knew about the claim or deliberately refused to pay.

Understandably, companies are going to be reluctant to give you credit!

After 6 years, it is no longer visible on your credit report and you should find it easier to get credit again.

What happens if the claimant wasn’t told your new address?

Not telling a creditor your new address does not automatically rule out a set-aside application. Under CPR 6.9, where the claimant has reason to believe you no longer live at the last known address, it must take reasonable steps to establish your current address and consider the service rules.

Service at an old address can be valid in some circumstances. Whether it was valid depends on the evidence and the steps the claimant took; the court decides.

If a default judgment was wrongly entered, the court must set it aside under CPR 13.2. Even where service was valid, CPR 13.3 can allow a set-aside if you have a real prospect of defending the claim or another good reason. Promptness matters, so seek advice as soon as you discover the judgment.

Your Rights With Bailiffs

It’s crucial to understand your rights when dealing with bailiffs. That’s why I’ve put together this table that explains what bailiffs can and can’t do. For more information, don’t forget to read our detailed guide.

Bailiffs may	Important limits
Visit under a valid enforcement power	Normally at least 14 clear days’ notice is required before taking control of goods; courts can shorten notice. An eligible debt-advice request can extend it to 28 clear days.
Take non-exempt goods belonging to the debtor	They cannot take ordinary essential household items or someone else’s property. Some jointly owned goods may be affected.
Take a vehicle where legally permitted	Ownership, finance, disability and other exemptions must be checked. ANPR does not remove those limits.
Enter through a door when lawful	For ordinary civil debts they usually cannot force first entry to a home. A CCJ by itself is not a power to break in.
Enter into a controlled goods agreement	Ask for a clear inventory and terms; breaking an agreement can have serious consequences.
Sell goods under the enforcement rules	Notice and sale requirements apply. Get advice if you dispute ownership, exemption, entry or fees.

England and Wales only. Tools and equipment needed personally for work, study or education have a combined exemption limit of £1,350. The rules differ elsewhere in the UK.

How do you check if you’ve got a CCJ?

I’ve listed ways to check if you’ve got a CCJ in the table below:

Where to check	Website address
Registry of Judgements	https://www.trustonline.org.uk/
Credit Karma	https://www.creditkarma.co.uk/
Equifax	https://www.equifax.co.uk/Products/credit/credit-score.html
Experian	https://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/experian-credit-report.html

What if I ignore a CCJ?

Ignoring a CCJ, even if you think there’s been a mistake, is not a good idea.

Ignoring a CCJ can allow the creditor to seek enforcement. If you dispute it, obtain the claim and judgment from the court and seek advice promptly about an N244 application, evidence and any request to stay enforcement.

A creditor may apply for an appropriate warrant or writ of control. Enforcement agents can add lawful fees. For taking-control-of-goods action under the rules effective from 1 May 2026, notice is normally at least 14 clear days, or 28 clear days if a qualifying debt-advice request is made before that period expires. Exceptions and transitional rules apply.

Our financial expert, Janine Marsh, advises: ‘If a bailiff has proven you owe money and you don’t have cash to hand, you’re within your rights to suggest a payment plan. It’s not a guarantee, but many will accept this as it’s easier than repossession.

With the required authority, enforcement agents may take control of eligible goods belonging to you. Essential and other exempt goods are protected, and payment or challenge options depend on the circumstances.

For an ordinary civil money debt, bailiffs normally cannot force first entry into a home. Lawful re-entry to remove controlled goods after a broken agreement has separate conditions; a non-exempt vehicle outside may still be at risk.

Other enforcement options may include an attachment of earnings order, charging order or third-party debt order. A creditor’s bankruptcy petition normally requires at least £5,000 and further legal steps; bankruptcy does not happen automatically.

The court may order you to attend to provide financial information. Failure to comply can lead to contempt proceedings and, in some cases, imprisonment. Ordinary inability to pay a CCJ is not itself a reason for imprisonment.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

What should you do if the CCJ is valid?

For a default judgment that was properly entered, CPR 13.3 gives the court discretion to set it aside if the legal grounds are met. The court considers whether you applied promptly and your supporting evidence.

That said, you need to show either of the following:

• There is “another good reason” for setting aside the judgement, or
• You have a real prospect of successfully defending the claim

Should you contact the Court?

Yes. You should get in touch with the court as soon as you realise that a CCJ is registered against you.

Armed with the right information and having checked your credit file, contacting the relevant court is essential.

The Civil National Business Centre replaced the County Court Business Centre in 2023. Check the court and claim number recorded for your judgment and use the official court finder to get the correct contact details; not every CCJ is handled there.

In this case, you can check which court issued it by using the Government Tribunal Finder service.

Council tax recovery normally uses a liability order rather than a CCJ. Enforcement agents may be instructed, but a visit is not automatic in every case.

Can a court find your file?

Yes. The court will find your file once you provide all the information you’ve found out about the CCJ you didn’t know existed.

You can then ask the court to email you the following:

• Which address was used to send the Claim Form
• The claimant’s name
• The date the claim was served
• The claimant’s solicitors if applicable
• The details of the claim

What are the chances of a CCJ being set aside?

The chances of a judgement being set aside (removed) from your credit file depend on several things.

A court would want to consider whether a Claim Form was served correctly for starters. In most instances, a Claim Form should be served on the defendant.

As such, specific steps must be taken which is a court rule requirement when serving Claim Forms.

This is important because the form lays out why you’re being served.

CPR 6 sets out how a claim form may be served. For an individual, the usual or last known residence is relevant, but the claimant’s duty to make enquiries can apply where it has reason to believe that address is no longer current.

Give the court evidence of when you moved, what the claimant knew, and when you first learned about the claim. The court will decide whether service and default judgment were valid.

If default judgment was wrongly entered because the conditions in CPR 12 were not met, CPR 13.2 requires it to be set aside. A failure to receive a letter does not by itself prove invalid service.

Can the claimant agree to setting aside a CCJ?

Another consideration is whether the claimant would agree to the judgement being removed.

The parties can agree a draft consent order and ask the court to set aside the judgment. A signature or private agreement alone does not remove the CCJ; a court order is required.

The court decides whether to approve the proposed order. A fee may apply; check current HMCTS fees and whether you qualify for help with fees.

Check out the question one person asked on a popular forum about a claimant consenting to setting aside a CCJ.

What happens when a CCJ is set aside?

If the court sets aside the judgment, its registration should be removed. The underlying claim normally continues unless the court dismisses it or the parties settle it, so comply with any new defence deadline and directions.

How do you find where a CCJ was issued?

You can find out where a CCJ was issued by checking the registry of judgements. It will tell you when the judgement was recorded against you and where it was sent. 

CCJ sent to the old address, what should you do? RECAP

You should find out asap when the CCJ was served and which court issued the judgement. You can do this in two ways. First, check your credit file. Second, check the registry of judgements.

Next, you should contact the relevant court to get more information about the claim against you. You can then decide whether you should seek legal advice especially when bailiffs are instructed to recover the debt.

A solicitor will tell you if there are grounds for a court to set aside the CCJ or not!

Should you seek legal advice?

Yes. You may want to seek legal advice once you’ve got all the relevant information about the CCJ.

The advice you receive will help determine whether you could have the judgement removed from your credit file.

If you are concerned about the cost of getting legal advice, you do have options:

• Debt charities can give free debt advice and help identify the next step. Check whether they can assist with the particular court application; commercial referral services are not automatically charities or solicitors.
• Some solicitors offer an initial consultation without charge; confirm the scope and cost before booking.
• Law clinic: your local university may have a law clinic that will offer legal services.
• Legal aid is generally unavailable for ordinary debt disputes in England and Wales unless your home is at risk, with limited exceptional-case provisions. Check both the subject-matter and financial eligibility rules; do not assume a CCJ set-aside is funded.

References

1. Citizens Advice – Debt Statistics and Bailiff Issues