Getting a mortgage with a CCJ explained
Getting a mortgage with a CCJ explained
Getting a mortgage after a County Court Judgment (CCJ) has been registered against you isn’t only achievable, it’s also simple and straightforward. With the right help, you can find a competitive and affordable mortgage rate that gives you access to the mortgage you need now, rather than having to wait years for your credit score to improve enough to get a mortgage from conventional lenders like high street banks.
- Up to 85% mortgages for CCJs registered over three years
- No need to wait 6 years for your CCJ to fall off your credit report
- The CCJ does not always need to be repaid
- Can still be considered for Help-to-Buy, Right-to-Buy and Shared Ownership
CCJ and mortgages explained
Getting a mortgage after a County Court Judgment (CCJ)
Getting a mortgage after a County Court Judgment (CCJ) has been registered against you isn’t only achievable, it’s also simple and straightforward. With the right help, you can find a competitive and affordable mortgage rate that gives you access to the mortgage you need now, rather than having to wait years for your credit score to improve enough to get a mortgage from conventional lenders like high street banks.
Here at Clever Mortgages we’ve helped to provide bad credit mortgages for countless people who’ve had CCJ’s registered against them, allowing them to get the mortgage they need instantly without waiting years for their CCJ to be removed from their credit file and thus improving their credit score. It’s our specialist area, and we pride ourselves on having become one the UK’s leading mortgage brokers for people with bad credit.
What is a CCJ?
A CCJ is a judgment that’s registered against you in a County Court for failing to repay money that you owe. Failing to repay money after a CCJ has been registered against you can result in further action being taken, including bailiff action. A CCJ will remain on your credit file for a period of six years, and during this time your credit rating will be adversely affected.
Can you get a mortgage after a CCJ is registered?
The good news is that you can certainly get a mortgage after a CCJ has been registered. It’s likely that you won’t be able to get one from more conventional lenders like big high-street banks, but here at Clever Mortgages we have access to 100s of lenders and specialise in helping people with poorer credit ratings get access to the finance they need, through specialist mortgage providers that are willing to look more favourably at past or current bad credit.
Will a CCJ affect my mortgage?
A CCJ will affect the terms and rates you’re able to get on your mortgage. It’s unlikely, for example, that you’ll be able to access the big high street banks that are available to people with good credit scores.
If you’re willing to accept this, however, then that’s the only real factor that will affect your mortgage. You may still be able to get the amount of finance you want regardless of your CCJ; it’ll just be at a less competitive rate than those offered by the high street lenders.
The alternative is simply waiting for your credit score to improve over time. Eventually, if you manage your money carefully and fulfil all your financial obligations, your credit score will improve, and you’ll be able to get access to more attractive mortgage rates. This may take a long time however, often years, and for many people who need a mortgage immediately this just isn’t a realistic option.
Mortgage Advice
How much can I borrow?
How much you can borrow will depend upon criteria such as your annual salary, your current outgoings, your credit rating and any other income you might have. To make things easy, we’ve created our own easy-to-use mortgage calculator that can show you how much you’ll be able to borrow.
How long will it take to apply for a mortgage?
Whilst it usually takes between two weeks and a month for an application to be processed, due to COVID-19 restrictions we’re finding that mortgage lenders are taking a few weeks longer than usual to process mortgage applications. During this time your mortgage lender will take the time to review your application, survey your new property and underwrite your mortgage application.
Repayment vs Interest-only mortgages
It’s also very important to consider the type of mortgage you want to go for. There are two main options to choose from: repayment and interest-only.
A repayment mortgage is what most people think of when they imagine getting a mortgage; a loan is taken out in order to buy the house, and a monthly amount is paid back to the lender over a period of (usually) 25 years. Once this has all been paid back, the mortgage owner will own their house outright.
Interest-only mortgages work somewhat differently to this.
Instead of paying back a monthly sum which reduces the balance of the mortgage as well as covering any added interest, which is what a repayment mortgage does, an interest-only mortgage doesn’t actually pay back any of the money that’s been borrowed. With an interest-only mortgage the monthly payment simply pays back any interest that’s been accrued on a monthly basis.
The total balance of the mortgage still has to be paid back at the end of the mortgage term, of course, and this is usually done via a lump sum or some form of repayment vehicle.
There are benefits and drawbacks of both type of mortgage, so if you’re unsure of which is the best type for you one, of our brokers will be more than happy to go over things with you in detail to help you find out which mortgage you should opt for.
How much can I borrow?
You might have never had a mortgage before, or your financial circumstances might have recently changed. In either case, you might be unsure how much you can borrow for a mortgage. Our tool can help work this out based on your salary, combining your partner’s salary if it’s a joint mortgage.
How much can I borrow for the mortgage?
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Mortgage calculator
See how much your mortgage payments could be with our live mortgage calculator
Rates may differ based on your circumstances
The mortgage application process
What do I need to apply for a mortgage?
Before you apply for a mortgage, you’ll need to get a few documents prepared to support your application. These include:
- Identification – this can include a passport or driving license
- Payslips from the last three months
- Monthly outgoings
- Utility bills
- Proof of any benefits you’ve received
- Current account bank statements from at least the last three months
- P60 form from your employer
- At least two years’ worth of account statements from an accountant if you’re self-employed
The application process
Here’s a quick, step-by-step guide to the mortgage process.
Step 1
Complete our online enquiry form and supply your intitial details, we will contact you to discuss your requirements in more detail. We can determine how much you can borrow before moving forward with your application.
Step 2
After we’ve taken a look over all of your details, we’ll scour the market for the best mortgage deals possible for your situation. We’ll then discuss any mortgage deals that match your criteria.
Step 3
If you’re happy with the mortgage we’ve recommended, the next step is getting a mortgage agreement, commonly known as an AIP or ‘Agreement in Principle.’ This essentially means that the mortgage provider agrees to lend you the money subject to final checks and approval of your chosen property.
Step 4
Once your AIP is accepted, the next step is to formally apply for the mortgage. If you’re applying through us, we’ll do this part for you. The mortgage provider will then conduct a formal valuation on the property to make sure it’s worth what you think it is or have offered to buy it for.
Step 5
If the property value is sufficient and after checking over the documentation you’ve provided, the mortgage lender will make a formal mortgage offer to you. Once you’ve accepted the mortgage offer, the solicitor can finalise all the legal work and arrange a completion date
Step 6
You move into your new home or if a remortgage you will have switched lender and may have funds in your account for home improvements. You then begin making your mortgage repayments. Congratulations
Why use a mortgage broker?
Mortgage brokers can help you find the best deals on the market – not just from one lender. With a broker you’ll get:
- Valuable knowledge, through years of experience helping customers to find mortgages
- An improved chance at finding a mortgage, some mortgages are only available through a broker
- Help with the application process, as usually just one application can be used across various lenders
- Advice on how to improve your chances, for instance getting a guarantor or applying for a joint mortgage
As a mortgage broker, we do all the hard work for you; once you’ve provided all of the necessary information mentioned above, we’ll get to work on finding the right deal for you, and keep you updated throughout every step of the process.
On top of making things easy for you, we’ll also be able to use our experience and relationships in the industry to get the best deal possible for your situation. We work with hundreds of different lenders, and as a result can get prime deals on mortgages that just aren’t available if you choose to go direct – this is especially useful if you’ve got bad credit, as this means that getting a good deal on your mortgage is usually even more difficult if you go direct.
We can also advise on things that you can do to help improve your chances of getting an improved deal, like opting for a joint mortgage or finding a guarantor.
So what does all this mean?
Essentially, you’ll be able to get a better deal in a shorter space of time, and with a lot less work and hassle from your end.
Ready to apply for your new mortgage?
Whatever the reason is that your credit score has been negatively affected, be it a CCJ, an IVA, arrears or something else, we believe that you should still be able to get the mortgage you deserve. We’ve helped thousands of people with poor credit scores get access to mortgage finance, so why not give us a call and find out how we could help you?
To find out what mortgages are available to you today, call our team on 0330 232 0285
Alternatively, you can either complete our simple online form to arrange a call back at a time that suits you or use our live chat which can be found any page of our website.
Ashleigh Bottomley
Ashleigh is one of our Front Line team ready to answer your mortgage questions.
Call us on: 0330 232 0285
Case Study
Securing a mortgage for one customer who’d previously been declined because of a CCJ
We help customers do just that. Our customer Mr Z was able to:
Take out a mortgage of almost £300,000 even though his wife had a CCJ and other previous defaults Secure a fixed rate of 1.73% for the initial 5 years Complete the purchase of his property in just one month
Mr Z wanted to buy a property but had previously been declined for a mortgage as his wife had bad credit, including a CCJ. At Clever Mortgages, we enabled him to:
Another reason why the couple’s previous mortgage application had been declined was because the new property was next door to the home of another family member.
Having access to so many products though meant we were able to secure a mortgage with a lender which was happy to offer them a mortgage despite the CCJ, previous defaults and the property’s proximity to another family home.
Completing the purchase within just one month was another factor which made this case so successful for the couple.
| Balance | Payment | Rate | Product | Term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mortgage | £297,000 | £1,006.27 | 1.73% | 5 year fixed rate | 32 years |
New Mortgage
| Balance | £297,000 |
| Payment | £1,006.27 |
| Rate | 1.73% |
| Term | 32 Years |
About Clever Mortgages
We specialise in assessing an individual’s situation, and finding the right mortgage solution for them. We can help:
- With remortgages, buy-to-let, and first-time buyers mortgages. We have experts who cover these areas
- Even if you’ve got bad credit – we help people every day with a variety of credit histories to find the right mortgage
- With applications, as we’ll take the hassle away. We require your details once and we’ll know the best lenders for your circumstance
- Our team know the lenders that are most likely to say ‘yes’, and give you the best rates
What should I do next?
- You enquire online with us today or request a call back
Our simple form takes a couple of minutes to fill in, this gets the ball rolling
- One of our experts will give you a call to find out more about your situation
We have experts in remortgaging, who focus solely on helping customers save money
- We do all the hard work for you
We search the market for the trusted lender that’s right for you
- Our expert will get back in touch
We can guide you every step of the way, and we’ll always keep you up-to-date with progress
Keep me up to date with the latest info on rates, products and services we think you might be interested in
How to increase chances of getting a mortgage with bad credit?
There are steps you can take to help increase your chances of getting a mortgage with, or after bad credit is registered against you.
Keep up repayments:
Make sure you keep up all credit payments and any arrangements to pay up to date. Missing further payments can impact your credit score further and could risk your creditor taking further action. Keeping up your repayments can help show potential lenders that you are back on track and over time will help repair your credit score.
Avoid multiple credit applications:
If you’re looking for a mortgage with bad credit, you might struggle to find a mainstream lender that will accept your application and making several failed applications in a short space of time can impact your credit report.
Close old accounts:
If you’ve got any old credit accounts that you’re not using, make sure you close them. Having many open accounts can negatively impact your credit score, so closing unused ones can help boost your score.
Employment:
Like with all credit agreements, repayment ability is a big factor. Having stable employment, or consistent employment in the same field helps boost your application and make you a more attractive borrower.
Keep track of your credit report:
Whilst Clever Mortgages can run a credit report for you, there are three main credit reference agencies in the UK, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. You can view your credit report online using these agencies. Your credit report shows you what lenders can see when they’re considering you for credit and keeping track of your report can help you better understand your credit and what influences it.
Save up a large deposit:
As with most bad credit circumstances, a large deposit vastly increases your chances of getting your mortgage application approved. With a large deposit, it means the amount you need to borrow is less, resulting in a lower LTV ratio. A lower LTV makes you a better prospect and less risky for a lender, meaning you’re more likely to get a better interest rate.
Going through a specialist bad credit broker like Clever Mortgages can help you find lenders that are likely to accept your application, sometimes accessing better rates and deals through the specialist lenders we work with.
