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.

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.

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

2 Jun

Written By Christopher Smith

Defaults and CCJs both stay on your UK credit file for six years from the date they were registered, then drop off automatically. They disappear whether or not you've paid them, so even an unsatisfied default or CCJ vanishes from your file once those six years are up.

That six-year rule is set by the credit reference agencies — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — and it applies the same way to both markers. The date that matters is when the default or judgment was registered, not when the original account was opened or when you fell behind.

Can lenders see defaults after 6 years?

No. Once a default reaches six years from its registration date, it's removed from your credit file completely and lenders can no longer see it. It doesn't matter whether you ever paid it — after six years it's gone either way.

This is why timing is such a big factor in a bad credit mortgage. A default that's about to drop off affects your options very differently from one registered last month.

Can lenders still see a CCJ after 6 years?

No. A County Court Judgment is removed from the public Register of Judgments and from your credit file six years after the judgment date. After that point, mainstream lenders running a standard credit check won't see it.

It's worth knowing the two are recorded separately but follow the same clock. If you understand how they differ, our guide on the <a href="/blog/the-difference-between-ccjs-and-defaults">difference between CCJs and defaults</a> explains it in plain English.

Is it true that after 7 years your credit is clear in the UK?

This is a common myth, usually borrowed from the American system. In the UK the figure is six years, not seven — and it's specific markers that drop off, not your whole credit history resetting on a fixed date.

Your file is always a rolling six-year window. Older issues fall away while recent activity stays visible, so there's no single moment when everything is wiped clean.

Can you get a default removed from your credit file?

Sometimes, but only if it's genuinely wrong. If a default was recorded in error, isn't yours, or breaks the lender's own rules, you can dispute it with the lender and the credit reference agency, who must investigate.

If the default is accurate, it stays for the full six years and can't simply be removed on request. Be wary of any company promising to wipe correct defaults for a fee — that's rarely possible and often a scam.

How long does a CCJ stay on your credit file once it's paid?

Paying a CCJ doesn't remove it early — it still stays for the full six years from the judgment date. What changes is that it's marked as "satisfied", which looks far better to lenders than an unpaid one.

There's one exception: if you pay a CCJ in full within one calendar month of the judgment, you can apply to have it removed from the register entirely. Pay after that month and it stays for six years, just marked as satisfied.

What this means for your mortgage

The headline is that adverse credit isn't forever, and its impact fades long before the six years are up. How recent the issue is, whether it's satisfied, your deposit and your income all shape what's possible — and with the right specialist lender, it's often possible to get a mortgage well before a default or CCJ drops off your file.

Have a free, no-obligation chat with Chris Smith Mortgages on 07359 911696. We'll give you an honest answer about what's realistic for your situation — no judgement, no pressure.

Christopher Smith