A CCJ is a formal court order requiring you to pay a debt. It's obtained when a creditor makes a claim in the county court and you either don't respond, don't defend, or the court agrees with the creditor after hearing both sides. It doesn't in itself send bailiffs.
Once a CCJ is issued, the creditor can take enforcement action — an attachment of earnings, charging order, third-party debt order or a warrant for bailiffs. But they don't have to, and many CCJs sit unenforced.
A CCJ appears on your credit file for six years unless you pay the full balance within 30 days of judgment, in which case it can be removed entirely. If you pay in full after 30 days, the CCJ can be marked 'Satisfied' — still visible, but far less damaging.
Related reading
County Court Judgments (CCJs)
What to do if a CCJ has been issued wrongly
If you didn't receive the court paperwork, or the debt isn't yours, you may be able to set the judgment aside.
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Setting aside a CCJ: when it's possible
In limited cases you can ask the court to cancel a judgment altogether.
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Your rights when a bailiff is at the door
Bailiffs work under a tightly regulated process. Doors do not have to be opened. Payment can almost always be negotiated.
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Vulnerability and bailiffs — the extra protections you have
If you (or someone in your household) is vulnerable, bailiffs must take extra steps — and often must stop entirely.
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