County court judgments for debt
Pay the judgment - if you do owe the money
You’ll have to pay the person or business you owe the money to, or their solicitor. The name and address will be on the judgment form. Do not pay the court.
Make sure you can prove you’ve paid. Send a cheque or postal order by post, or make a bank transfer. Do not send cash through the post.
Keep a record of your payments and make sure you pay in time.
Pay in instalments
If you’re paying in instalments, ask the person or business you owe the money to about the best way to pay.
You may want to set up a standing order to pay the money directly from your bank account.
If you’re late with your payments, you could be taken back to court and you may have to pay extra costs.
Ask to change the payments
You can ask to change the terms of the judgment - for example, how and when you pay.
To do this, fill in the N245 application form.
Give details of your income and spending, and say how much you can realistically afford to pay.
You may have to pay a court fee.
If your offer is rejected, the court will decide on the amount you have to pay.
If you do not pay what the court has ordered
If you do not pay as ordered, the person or business you owe money to may:
- threaten you with bailiffs to collect the money
- ask the court to take action against you to force you to pay
You can get temporary protection from your creditors through the ‘Breathing Space’ scheme, while still making repayments. You’ll need to apply through a debt adviser.
If you’re threatened with bailiffs
The person or business you owe money to may use bailiffs to collect the money.
They’ll have to apply to the court for a ‘warrant’, which will give the bailiff the right to visit your home or property. You’ll be given 7 days to pay before they visit.
You may be able to stop the bailiff from visiting, by filling in the N245 application form.
Say on the form how you’ll repay the money - for example weekly or monthly payments. If your offer is accepted, the warrant will be stopped as long as you keep up with the payments.
Actions the court can take against you to force you to pay
The court may decide to:
- order a deduction from your earnings
- freeze money in your bank or building society account
- deduct the money you owe when you sell your property (such as a house, land, stocks or shares)
- order you to come to court to answer questions about things like your earnings or employment status
If you have other judgments or debts
If you have another judgment against you, you can arrange to pay all your debts to the court in a single weekly or monthly payment.
This will stop people taking action against you to get their money - for example by sending bailiffs to your home.
You can only do this if your total debts are under £5,000.
You’ll need to fill in the application for an administration order (N92).
Contact the court if you cannot keep up with the payments.