If you’ve been issued with a CCJ, chances are that it could appear on your Credit Report as having come from Northampton County Court Business Centre (CCBC), even if you or the claimant have no ties with Northampton whatsoever.
What is the Northampton County Court Business Centre?
The CCBC is a County Court Judgment bulk processing centre based in Northampton. It is commonly used by lenders to submit CCJ notifications en masse. Because many lenders routinely take debtors to court to retrieve monies owed, it makes most sense for them to issue the letters of claim in bulk, which at present can only be done through the CCBC.
The CCBC is separate to the Northampton Combined Court. You can find out more on the CCBC’s official government website.
Do I have to attend a hearing in Northampton?
Before a CCJ is officially issued, the court must provide you with a County Court Summons, outlining the amount owed, the name of the claimant and the nature of the debt owed, along with the claimant’s intention to take you to court to retrieve the stated amount.
Upon receiving the letter, it is your duty to respond as quickly as possible, either accepting or defending the claim made against you. If you are unsure whether the letter is genuine, it’s best to contact the CCBC directly so they can verify this for you.
If undefended, the hearing effectively goes ahead in your absence at the CCBC. If the judgment is issued (which is highly likely if undefended), the CCBC will then become the issuing court. If you choose to defend the judgment, the hearing will be moved to a closer and more convenient local court. In the event of the judgment being issued under these circumstances, the newly appointed court will be the issuing court and will appear as such on your Credit Report.
In either case, you shouldn’t have to attend a hearing in Northampton unless you live in Northampton and decide to defend the claim, in which case the hearing would take place at the Northampton Combined Court.
How will it appear on my Credit Report?
If you do not contest the CCJ letter within 14 days of receiving it, it is likely that the CCJ will be processed at Northampton County Court Business Centre. As such, when you check your checkmyfile Credit Report, this will be shown as the issuing court, together with further information about the judgment itself.
If you choose to contest the CCJ and the judgment goes against you, it will be the court that you physically attend that gets listed and will appear on your Credit Report.
You can easily check all your Court Records with checkmyfile.
How can I check where a CCJ was issued?
The Court Records section of your checkmyfile Credit Report will show you any court judgments currently being reported by the UK’s three Credit Reference Agencies. By checking for yourself, you’ll be able to see:
- Date CCJ was issued
- Court Reference Number
- The amount owed
- Whether the CCJ is active
- How long until the CCJ drops off
- Which Credit Reference Agencies are reporting the CCJ
- Contact details for the issuing court
If you’re looking for all the CCJ information held against you, checking your Credit Report should be the first port of call. Save time and gain peace of mind by checking all three Credit Reference Agencies with checkmyfile – free for 30 days, then just £14.99 per month. You’ll get access to the UK’s most detailed Credit Report, and you can cancel quickly and easily at any time online or by freephone or email.
Updated 25 August 2021 by Sam Griffin