Enforcing a County Court Judgment (CCJ)
How to enforce a County Court judgment: warrants of control, attachment of earnings, charging orders, third-party debt orders and the current court fees.
Quick answer
If a County Court judgment goes unpaid, you can ask the court to collect payment from the debtor. The main options in England and Wales are: a warrant of control (£96), where a bailiff asks for payment within 7 days and can then visit to see if goods can be sold; High Court enforcement by writ of control (£82 sealing fee, available alongside the county court for debts between £600 and £5,000); an attachment of earnings order (£139), deducting from the debtor's wages via their employer; a third-party debt order (£139), freezing money in the debtor's bank account; and a charging order (£139), securing the debt against the debtor's land or property so you are paid when it is sold. If you do not know the debtor's finances, a £69 application can compel them to attend court and provide the information. Enforcement is barred while the debtor has a Breathing Space, and judgment records are kept on the register for 6 years unless paid in full within a month.
Overview
Winning a money judgment does not itself put money in your account — if the debtor does not pay after receiving the court order, you can ask the court to collect payment from the person or business who owes you (a court fee applies each time). The main tools are a warrant of control (bailiffs), an attachment of earnings order (deductions from wages), a third-party debt order (freezing a bank account) and a charging order (securing the debt against land or property). This guide explains each method, the current fees, and how to choose between them.
Who Can Use This Process
- You have a court judgment or order in your favour and the debtor has not paid after receiving it
- The debtor is not protected by a 'Breathing Space' — you cannot enforce a judgment while the debtor is temporarily protected from creditors
- You can pay the enforcement fee for the method you choose (fees can often be added to the judgment debt)
Step-by-Step Process
Confirm Non-Payment and Check for Breathing Space
Enforcement starts only once the debtor has failed to pay after receiving the court order. Check first that no 'Breathing Space' applies: you cannot enforce a judgment if you are told that the person who owes you money has got a Breathing Space and is temporarily protected from their creditors. From the debtor's side, a judgment is recorded — records of judgments are kept for 6 years unless the debtor pays the full amount within a month — which is often itself an incentive to pay.
- Send a final payment demand referencing the judgment before paying for enforcement — the register and credit consequences persuade some debtors
- Keep evidence of exactly what remains unpaid, including any instalments received
Find Out About the Debtor's Finances
If you do not know whether the debtor has wages, bank funds or property worth pursuing, ask the court to order the debtor to attend court to provide evidence of their income and spending — for a company, an officer from the company can be required to attend and discuss the accounts. The fee to issue an application for an order for a debtor or other person to attend court to provide information is £69.
- Choose your enforcement method based on what this reveals — wages suggest attachment of earnings, a bank balance suggests a third-party debt order, property suggests a charging order
Warrant of Control: Send County Court Bailiffs
A warrant of control instructs county court bailiffs to collect the debt. The fee to issue a warrant of control for recovery of a sum of money is £96. The bailiff will ask for payment within 7 days; if the debt is not paid, the bailiff will visit the debtor's home or business to see if anything can be sold to pay the debt.
- Bailiff enforcement works best where the debtor has goods of value at a known address
- If goods are leased or belong to someone else they cannot meaningfully be taken — weigh this before paying the fee
Consider High Court Enforcement for Larger Debts
For debts between £600 and £5,000 you can apply to either a county court or the High Court, where enforcement is by writ of control executed by High Court Enforcement Officers. The court fee for sealing a writ of control for recovery of a sum of money is £82.
- High Court Enforcement Officers add their own fees, which are generally recovered from the debtor if enforcement succeeds
- Compare likely recovery under a county court warrant versus a High Court writ before transferring
Attachment of Earnings: Deduct from Wages
If the debtor is employed, you can ask the court to take money from the debtor's wages to pay the debt — an attachment of earnings order. The court sends the order to the debtor's employer, who makes deductions from pay. The application fee is £139.
- This route needs an identifiable employer — it does not work against the self-employed
- Deductions arrive gradually: expect the debt to be repaid over time rather than in one sum
Third-Party Debt Order: Freeze the Bank Account
You can ask the court to freeze money in the debtor's bank, building society or business account — a third-party debt order. The court then decides whether money in the frozen account can be used to pay the debt. The application fee is £139.
- Timing matters — the order only catches what is in the account when it bites, so aim for paydays or known receipts
- You will need the debtor's bank details, which an order to attend court for questioning can provide
Charging Order: Secure the Debt Against Property
You can ask the court to charge the debtor's land or property — a charging order. This secures the judgment debt against the property so that you are paid from the proceeds when it is sold. The application fee is £139.
- A charging order secures the debt but does not itself produce payment — a separate order for sale application is needed to force a sale
- Check the debtor actually owns the property (Land Registry title) before applying
Keep Pressure on Until Paid
Enforcement methods can be combined or tried in sequence as the debtor's circumstances change, and a debtor who ignores a judgment can be taken back to court and made to pay. Track everything you recover and every fee you incur, and stop enforcement promptly once the judgment debt, fees and any interest are cleared.
- Re-use the order-to-attend procedure if the debtor's finances change
- If the debtor pays in full within a month of the judgment, the judgment does not stay on the register — later payment leaves the record marked for 6 years
Costs
Important Warnings
You cannot enforce a judgment while the debtor has a 'Breathing Space' and is temporarily protected from their creditors
Every enforcement method carries its own court fee, payable when you apply
Enforcement does not guarantee recovery — match the method to what you know about the debtor's wages, accounts and property
Useful Links
Frequently asked questions
- How do I choose the right enforcement method?
- Match the method to the debtor's assets. If you do not know what those are, apply (fee £69) for an order that the debtor — or an officer of a debtor company — attends court to provide evidence of income and spending. Wages point to an attachment of earnings order, money in the bank to a third-party debt order, owned property to a charging order, and goods at a known address to a warrant of control.
- How much does it cost to enforce a judgment?
- Current civil court fees are: £96 to issue a warrant of control, £82 for sealing a writ of control, £139 to apply for an attachment of earnings order, £139 for a third-party debt order, £139 for a charging order, and £69 to have the debtor brought to court for questioning about their finances.
- What does a bailiff actually do under a warrant of control?
- The bailiff will ask the debtor for payment within 7 days. If the debt is not paid, the bailiff will visit the debtor's home or business to see if anything can be sold to pay the debt.
- Can I take money straight from the debtor's wages or bank account?
- Yes, through the court. An attachment of earnings order asks the court to take money from the debtor's wages — the court sends the order to their employer. A third-party debt order asks the court to freeze money in the debtor's bank, building society or business account, and the court then decides whether the frozen money can be used to pay the debt.
- What is a charging order and when is it worthwhile?
- A charging order asks the court to charge the debtor's land or property, securing the judgment debt against it so you are paid when the property is sold. It suits debtors with real property but no accessible cash — though it secures rather than immediately produces payment.
- What if the debtor has a 'Breathing Space'?
- You cannot enforce a judgment if you are told the person who owes you money has a Breathing Space and is temporarily protected from their creditors. You will need to wait until the protection ends before taking enforcement steps.
- Does an unpaid CCJ affect the debtor long-term?
- Yes — records of judgments are kept for 6 years unless the debtor pays the full amount within a month, and the record can make it hard for them to get credit. Debtors are warned not to ignore a judgment because they can be taken back to court and forced to pay.