Enforce a CCJ and get paid
A County Court Judgment is a court’s confirmation that you’re owed the money — but it doesn’t pay you by itself. Roughly speaking, a CCJ is the halfway point: enforcement is what turns judgment into cash.
For judgments of £600 or more (and not regulated consumer credit debts), you can transfer up to the High Court and instruct High Court Enforcement Officers — the writ of control route. HCEOs’ enforcement stages carry fixed fees that are largely added to what the debtor owes, which is why this is often the first choice for business debts.
It isn’t the only route: county court bailiffs handle smaller judgments, attachment of earnings suits employed individual debtors, third-party debt orders can freeze bank funds, and charging orders secure the debt against property. The right route depends on what you know about the debtor — and a good enforcement partner will tell you honestly when a debtor isn’t worth pursuing.
Collect Compare includes vetted High Court enforcement specialists alongside collection agencies, compared blind on approach and track record. If you don’t have a judgment yet, start with the debt itself — collection or litigation first.
What to compare
- Whether they are authorised High Court enforcement specialists or brokers
- Honest pre-enforcement assessment — is the debtor worth enforcing against?
- What stages are chargeable to you if enforcement fails
- Alternative routes when goods enforcement isn’t the answer
See your options in about a minute
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Common questions
My debtor ignored the CCJ — what now?
Enforce it. For judgments of £600+ you can transfer to the High Court and instruct enforcement officers under a writ of control; smaller judgments go to county court bailiffs. Other routes include attachment of earnings, third-party debt orders and charging orders.
What does High Court enforcement cost?
There’s a court fee to issue the writ, and HCEO enforcement stages carry fixed fees that are largely recoverable from the debtor when enforcement succeeds. If nothing is recovered, an abortive fee usually applies — ask any agency to spell out the failure case before you instruct.
How long is a CCJ enforceable?
A CCJ doesn’t expire after six years, but enforcing one more than six years old needs the court’s permission and is harder. Enforce while the judgment — and the debtor’s trail — is fresh.
I don’t have a CCJ yet — should I get one first?
Not necessarily. A collection agency’s approach often gets payment without court. If it doesn’t, litigation to judgment and then enforcement is the escalation path — many agencies on our panel handle the whole journey.
General information, not legal advice. Statutory interest and compensation apply to qualifying commercial debts under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 — our free calculator works out what you can add, at the correct rate for your dates.