CCJ?

A CCJ, an abbreviation of county court judgment, is a legal order that requires you to pay back money you owe.

The court can give a CCJ:

• if you don't pay an invoice
• if you don't follow an agreement to pay back money (known as a 'county court order')

A CCJ can be for any kind of debt. The most common are:

• Rent arrears
• Credit or store card debts
• Catalogues or hire purchase debts
• Overdrafts
• Personal loans
• Gas or electricity bills

You can be given a CCJ if you owe money to:

• A person
• A company
• The council

What happens if I don't pay?

If you don't pay, the creditor can:

• Take money from your wages (known as 'garnishing')
• Take money from your bank or building society account