What is the County Court Business Centre? Quick Answer

Are you wondering what is the County Court Business Centre? You’ve come to the right place for answers! Every month, over 170,000 people visit our site to understand similar matters.

In this article, we’ll talk about:

• What the County Court Business Centre is and what it does.
• How you can tell if a County Court Judgement (CCJ) is real.
• Steps you can take to clear a CCJ.
• What happens if you ignore a CCJ.
• How to avoid getting a CCJ in the first place.

Citizens Advice estimate households have around £18.9 billion in unpaid bills like council tax and utilities¹. Some of our team members have even been there, so you’re not alone.

If you’re feeling stressed about dealing with bailiffs, take a deep breath. We’re here to help guide you through it.

What is Northampton County Court Business Centre?

The Northampton County Court Business Centre (CCBC) is the central point for county courts across England and Wales.

It handles administration and online claims but no physical hearings take place at the centre. They send out letters to give notice of cases and claims. 

You can find out more from the GOV website here. 

If you’re wondering how to pay a CCJ at Northampton County Court you can use the Gov’s online option.

What does the CCBC do?

The County Court Business Centre (CCBC) is responsible for handling online claims and online administration, working in close contact with county courts across England and Wales.

For example, CCBC services can include the process your claim form for money through the Money Claim Online portal. 

Some of the other services provided by the County Court Business Centre (CCBC) are:

1. Bulk money claims – these bulk claims are made by creditors against large volumes of customers and borrowers who are in arrears. Processing them in bulk can save the company and the CCBC time.
   
2. Challenges to parking tickets and driving fines.
   
3. Services regarding employer deductions from debtors’ wages. 

If you want to settle the judgement, you can use the Northampton County Court pay CCJ online option.

What is a County Court Judgment (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.

If you manage to pay within one month of the CCJ being issued, the judgement will not be recorded in the register. You will need to write to the court explaining that you have paid and provide proof.

CCJs are also visible on your credit file for 6 years. This will make it almost impossible for you to get credit during this time.

This is because companies use your credit file to see if you are a ‘high-risk’ customer – someone who might have difficulty paying their bills on time.

If you have a CCJ, you have had such trouble paying back your debt that someone had to go to court about it.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Fill out the short debt form

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

A CCJ can affect other areas of your life. Renting, for example, will probably be a bit harder with a CCJ for the same reasons as above.

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 you ignore a CCJ?

If you ignore a CCJ, your debt can be enforced by the creditor.

They can request to use enforcement action, such as:

1. Bailiffs
2. Charging orders
3. Attachment of earnings
4. Or bankruptcy

I strongly advise against hiding away from a judgment you have received.

There are still opportunities to put things right; avoidance and delaying tactics can result in more debt being added to the money owed due to solicitors’ and bailiff fees. 

Here’s a quick table showing the most common bailiff fees and their amounts.

Will your court hearing take place at the CCBC?

Court hearings do not take place at the CCBC.

If your case cannot be resolved remotely and without a hearing, you may have to attend a hearing at your local county court.

You will receive plenty of notice if this is to happen with letters arriving in the post. 

How can you tell if a CCJ is real?

If you have received a letter in the post telling you that you have a CCJ for money owed, you can check this by contacting the County Court Business Centre in Northampton or by contacting your local county court. 

You could also check your credit history. By checking your report, you can find out the unique court reference number and use this to find where the CCJ was issued. 

You need to start verifying a CCJ as soon as possible before you make payment.

How do you clear a CCJ?

You clear a CCJ by paying off the debt in full. The CCJ then becomes satisfied and remains on your credit file for six years.

If you pay within 30 days of the date the CCJ was issued, it will not be registered and it will not stop you from getting personal credit in the future. 

Paying off a CCJ isn’t necessarily as scary as it sounds – many will include a payment schedule for you to follow, as mentioned above.

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.

How do you set aside a CCJ?

You may be able to set aside a CCJ if it has been issued in error and you don’t agree with it.

To do this, you will need to complete an N244 form and return it to the court.

There may be a fee for this service. If they decide you do not owe them money, they will remove the judgment from the register.

If you need support filling in form N244, you can get it from free debt charities or legal professionals. 

Will a CCJ appear on your credit file?

A CCJ will appear on your credit file for 6 years if a payment is not made within 30 days.

If you respond and pay within 30 days, the judgment isn’t registered on the official register.

However, the missed payments that created the debt will still appear in your history and reduce your credit score. 

Even if you pay it back after 30 days, it will stay on your credit history but should be marked as satisfied until it is eventually deleted.

How can you avoid a CCJ?

Preventing a CCJ isn’t always possible if you are at the later stages of debt collection.

That said, you might be able to avoid a CCJ by negotiating a repayment plan with your creditor or debt collector.

But if you can’t afford to pay, even after negotiating, you may need to consider a debt solution.

There are several different debt solutions available in the UK, so I recommend speaking to a debt charity as soon as possible.

Their advisors will be able to look at your finances in detail and help you work out which debt solution will work best for you.

I have linked a few charities that offer these advisory services for free below.

Debt Management Plan (DMP)

A DMP is an informal debt solution that lets you pay off your debts via a single monthly payment.

Because it is informal, it is not legally binding so you are not tied into a DMP for a minimum number of payments.

Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)

An IVA is a formal agreement between you and your creditors. You agree to pay a monthly sum that is distributed amongst your debts, and your creditors agree not to contact you during your IVA.

IVAs typically last for 5 or 6 years, and any outstanding debt is wiped off when it ends.

Keep in mind that IVAs are not suitable for everyone. You need to owe several thousand pounds to more than one creditor to be eligible. You also need to demonstrate that you have some disposable income every month.

Trust Deed

IVAs are not available in Scotland. Instead, you will need to opt for a Trust Deed.

Trust Deeds work in the same way as an IVA – you pay an agreed sum each month that is shared amongst your creditors, they can’t contact you, and any leftover debt at the end of your Trust Deed term is written off.

Debt Relief Order (DRO)

A DRO is a good option for those facing financial hardship with no assets and little income.

For 12 months, you make no payments, but your creditors freeze your interest and don’t contact you.

If your finances haven’t improved during this year, you may be able to write off your unsecured debts.

Bankruptcy

If you have debts but no realistic possibility of ever paying them off, you may need to declare bankruptcy.

Bankruptcy has an unfair stigma attached to it as it may be your only way of getting a financial fresh start. That said, it is a serious financial situation that should not be taken lightly.

Sequestration

Sequestration is the Scottish version of bankruptcy.

If you have little income and no valuable assets, you may be able to apply for a minimal asset process bankruptcy (MAP). A MAP is a quicker, cheaper, and more straightforward version of sequestration, so worth considering.

How do you contact the County Court Business Centre?

To contact the County Court Business Centre, you can send a letter to their address below, or you can call them on 0300 123 1056.

Note that many people have left unhappy reviews about call times, so it may be less stressful to send a letter. If you do send an important letter, it is a good idea to make a copy and pay for record delivery as evidence. 

CCBC contact details are as follows:

Address:	St. Katharine’s House 21-27 St. Katharine’s Street, Northampton, NN1 2LH
Phone number:	0300 123 1056 (County Court Business Centre (CCBC))
	03003035174 (for Welsh-speakers)
Email:	[email protected] (County Court Business Centre (CCBC))
County Court Business Centre pay CCJ:	Online CCJ payment option

References

1. Citizens Advice – Debt Statistics and Bailiff Issues