You may be able to remove or set aside a CCJ if:

- Paid Within One Month: If you paid the full debt within 30 days of the CCJ, you can request a Certificate of Cancellation to remove it from the public register.
- Procedural Errors: The CCJ was issued incorrectly, e.g., you weren’t properly notified of the claim (wrong address or no Claim Form received).
- No Debt Owed: You didn’t owe the debt, or it was already paid before the CCJ was issued.
- Unfair Process: The creditor or court failed to follow proper procedures, such as not sending a Default Notice for regulated credit agreements.
- Reasonable Defence: You have a valid defence, e.g., the debt was statute-barred (over six years old under the Limitation Act 1980) or the creditor misrepresented the terms.
- Mistaken Identity: The CCJ was issued against the wrong person or company.
- Financial Hardship: You can demonstrate exceptional circumstances, such as inability to respond due to illness or other mitigating factors.

Our team review your CCJ, including the Claim Form and court documents, to identify grounds for setting it aside or removing it from your credit file.

Contestor Legal guides you through the steps to challenge or remove a CCJ:

Reviewing the CCJ:
- We obtain details of the CCJ from the court or the Registry of County Court Judgments to confirm its validity, amount, and date.
- We check for errors in the claim process, such as incorrect notification or procedural irregularities.

Paying the Debt (if applicable):
- If the debt is valid and you can pay it within 30 days, we assist in settling the debt and applying for a Certificate of Cancellation to remove the CCJ from the Register of Judgments, Orders and Fines.
- If paid after 30 days, we can apply for a Certificate of Satisfaction to show the debt is cleared, though the CCJ remains on your file for six years unless set aside.

Applying to Set Aside the CCJ:
- If there are grounds to challenge the CCJ, we file an Application Notice (Form N244) to the County Court, requesting the CCJ be set aside.
- You must show a reasonable defence and a good reason for not responding to the original claim (e.g., not receiving the Claim Form).
- We prepare supporting evidence, such as proof of payment, correspondence, or evidence of incorrect notification, and represent you at the set-aside hearing.
- If successful, the CCJ is removed, and the case may be reheard or dismissed.

Consent Orders:
- If you reach an agreement with the creditor (e.g., to pay a reduced amount), we can negotiate a Consent Order to set aside the CCJ, provided both parties agree.

Credit File Correction:
- Once the CCJ is removed or marked as satisfied, we liaise with credit reference agencies (e.g., Experian, Equifax) to ensure your credit file is updated.