CCJ Advice - Not paid as goods not received.

benson98

Hello,

I'm trying to sort out and an old CCJ I received a few years back, in 2019.

I used a online auction to bid on a item. When it came to pay I didn't have the money and apologised to the company. I was planning on buying it through my limited company. My company details are on the site, VAT and all. I think they insisted I pay and left it as that. I then went back to work in Europe. I've checked and the last contact I had was them saying the terms and conditions say I have to pay. Surely that agreement is between the two businesses?

The goods total was £29. 

Fast forward a year or so and I return to find the paperwork that was way past the 30 days to pay and with a CCJ on my file. 

The total is a whopping £54 on my credit file. However, I can't find who the company is. I'm on the phone to the Business Centre who hopefully can give me details. 

My question is... What options do I have to delete/settle/remove this? I am very doubtful the company still have the item. If I pay them I'll receive nothing. As it was a business buying from a business why is it on my personal file? 

Any advice greatly appreciated. 

macman

You can't remove it after the 30 days unless you have grounds for a set aside, which you don't. ''Forgetting' to pay doesn't count as a defence.
You can pay it and it will then show as satisfied on your credit history, but it will remain there for 6 years, as it is a true statement of fact.

benson98

Thanks for the quick reply. 

If I'm not able to get the goods after all this time what happens?

Does anyone know about the business side of the question? My limited company was signed up to the auction site, not me. Does that make no difference?

sourcrates

Nothing will happen, it will stay on your file for another 3 years or so, then it will drop off automatically.

They actually went to court for a debt of £29 ? and you didn`t even receive the goods ?

That`s pretty rubbish to my mind, I doubt you will get the goods now, I`d just forget about it and move on, if I were you, no point in paying it now.

benson98

Thanks for the reply sourcrates.

Yeah, I didn't pay so they wanted the money. It's an action house so guess they sold it again. I hardly think they have kept it for 4 years.

That's why I am trying to understand what can be done. It doesn't seem fair that they can do it for so little and still sell the item again. I never received anything. I should have paid, the agreement to use the site states it's a binding contract if you bid. £20 (less their fees and VAT) is hardly a life changing amount for a business.

Is it not better to settle it? Before the three years is up my business will need a mortgage. I'm worried this £29 is costing me thousands and thousands.

Who can I ask for professional help? Solicitor? 

sourcrates

I`m actually struggling to understand this to be honest, you bought an item on eBay, which you didn`t pay for, but didn`t receive either, and they took you to court and won, by default I assume, how strange to even bother for £29 which they didn't even lose, the item probably sold to someone else. 

Well pay it, don`t pay it, a settled CCJ is slightly better than an unsettled one, but not by much.

SusieT

sourcrates said:

I`m actually struggling to understand this to be honest, you bought an item on eBay, which you didn`t pay for, but didn`t receive either, and they took you to court and won, by default I assume, how strange to even bother for £29 which they didn't even lose, the item probably sold to someone else. 

Well pay it, don`t pay it, a settled CCJ is slightly better than an unsettled one, but not by much.

I am reading it as being an auction house (their fees and VAT appear to be added) holding an online auction rather than an ebay one, which would explain them chasing and taking action for such a small amount?

benson98

Who knows why they did it!? They could. 

It wasn't Ebay it was through a site called Bid Spotter - mainly bankrupt or closed down companies that auction houses use to allow other people and businesses to buy from. I don't think it's strictly B2B but mainly. 

Does the amount of the CCJ effect the level of credit score? I.e. £10 isn't viewed as bad as £10,000? It's my business trying to get a mortgage in the future that worries me. It's likely that will be in the next year or two.

I want to do something if I can to make a bad situation less so. Leaving it for another 3 years kinda sucks!

[Deleted User]

benson98 said:

Who knows why they did it!? They could. 

It wasn't Ebay it was through a site called Bid Spotter - mainly bankrupt or closed down companies that auction houses use to allow other people and businesses to buy from. I don't think it's strictly B2B but mainly. 

Does the amount of the CCJ effect the level of credit score? I.e. £10 isn't viewed as bad as £10,000? It's my business trying to get a mortgage in the future that worries me. It's likely that will be in the next year or two.

I want to do something if I can to make a bad situation less so. Leaving it for another 3 years kinda sucks!

The CCJ is a black and white thing, it's either there or not. The effect on the gimmick credit score is immaterial, if it's on there, it will be an auto decline for many lenders

macman

Lenders don't even see your credit score, it's a fictitious number. You can pay the debt, but the default will still remain on your file for another 3 years.
You said that the default was on your personal credit history, so that is not going to be a problem if you are seeking future credit for your limited company?

benson98

Thanks for the replies. 

I thought that a bank would check directors of a company taking a loan. I tried to move to a bank offering Bounce Back loans and couldn't. 

Guess I'll be sitting it out. I might have got over it by the time the 3 years have gone by!