No, a default is not a CCJ. A default is added to your credit report by a lender when you miss payments on an account. A County Court Judgment (CCJ) is a court order telling you to repay a debt. They are different — but a default can sometimes lead to a CCJ if the debt isn't resolved. Lenders treat CCJs as more serious, but both can be accepted by specialist mortgage lenders, especially if they're settled or older than 12–24 months.

How long do defaults and CCJs stay on your credit file in the UK?

Defaults and CCJs both stay on your UK credit file for six years from the date they were registered, and then drop off automatically — even if the debt hasn't been paid. A default stays for six years whether it's settled or not, though settled defaults are marked 'satisfied' and viewed more favourably by lenders. A CCJ also stays for six years, but if you pay it in full within one month of the judgment, it can be removed from your credit file completely. After six years, lenders can no longer see them. You don't always need to wait that long to get a mortgage though — many specialist lenders accept CCJs and defaults that are only 12–24 months old, particularly when settled.

Can you get a mortgage with a CCJ or default in the UK?

Yes, you can get a mortgage with a CCJ or default in the UK. High-street lenders usually prefer the CCJ or default to be at least three years old and settled, but specialist bad credit mortgage lenders will often accept ones registered in the last 12 months — sometimes even unsatisfied ones if the amount is small. The key factors lenders look at are how long ago the issue happened, whether it's satisfied, how many you have, the amount owed, and your deposit size. A specialist mortgage broker can match you to the lenders most likely to approve your situation. Call Chris on 07359911696 for a quick, no-pressure chat to find out what's possible.

Can a mortgage broker get you a mortgage with bad credit?

21 Jun

Written By Christopher Smith

A good mortgage broker can't guarantee you a mortgage, but they can significantly improve your chances of getting one with bad credit. They do it by knowing which specialist lenders accept your type of credit issue and presenting your case to the one most likely to say yes.

No honest broker promises approval, because the final decision always sits with the lender. What a broker gives you is access and accuracy — reaching lenders you can't approach directly, and not wasting applications on ones who'll only decline you.

How does a broker help when you have bad credit?

A broker's main value with bad credit is matching. They know which lenders are comfortable with CCJs, defaults, missed payments or an IVA, and at what recency and deposit level — so your application lands somewhere it has a genuine chance.

They also package your case properly: explaining the story behind the credit issue, evidencing that it's resolved, and presenting your income and deposit in the best honest light. For complex files, that packaging often makes the difference between a yes and a no.

Can I get a mortgage with a 500 credit score?

Possibly — it depends far more on what's driving the score than the number itself. A 500 score caused by a thin credit history is viewed very differently from one caused by recent defaults.

Specialist lenders look behind the score at the actual detail of your file. That's why a low number alone doesn't tell you whether a mortgage is possible, and why advice tailored to your situation is more useful than any score threshold.

Can I get a mortgage with a 200 credit score?

A very low score like this usually points to serious or recent adverse credit, which narrows your options — but it doesn't always rule a mortgage out. You'll typically need a larger deposit and should expect a higher rate.

The honest position is that the lower the score and the more recent the issues, the harder the case and the more a specialist broker's knowledge matters. It's worth a conversation rather than assuming it's impossible.

Do mortgage brokers do a hard credit check?

No — not to give you initial advice. A good broker can talk through your situation and even run a soft check or review your credit report with you, neither of which leaves a mark on your file.

A hard credit search only happens when you formally apply to a specific lender. Because a broker chooses that lender carefully, you avoid the damage of multiple hard searches from applying around yourself.

Is it worth using a broker for a bad credit mortgage?

For most people with adverse credit, yes. The adverse market is complex, lender criteria change constantly, and many specialist lenders only accept business through brokers — so going it alone often means fewer options and a higher chance of a damaging decline.

A broker also saves you time and protects your credit file. To see the wider picture of how this works, our <a href="/bad-credit-mortgages">bad credit mortgages</a> page explains the options in more detail.

The honest answer

A broker can't promise a mortgage, but for bad credit they genuinely tilt the odds in your favour — through lender access, careful matching, and proper packaging. Recency, whether your issues are satisfied, your deposit and your income all shape the outcome, and a broker's job is to line those up with the right lender.

Have a free, no-obligation chat with Chris Smith Mortgages on 07359 911696. We'll tell you straight whether we think we can help.

Christopher Smith