CCJ - Registered at Linked Address

DavoDestruct · 12 March at 10:40AM

Hi all, seeking some advice on a CCJ.

History:
I was previously very loose with payments and financial responsibilities, but for the last 5-6 years have been credit and (I thought) debt free. I spent a few years clearing up what mess I could, but ended up with a CCJ in 2020, that I’ve not ended up paying to settle.

Yesterday I received 2 letters in the post (hand delivered) addressed to the property I lived in until 2015.

Letter 1 was from Mortimer Clarke (via Cabot Financial) stating that they had a credit card debt of mine from 2019 that would go to court for a CCJ if I didn’t respond within 30 days. Unfortunately the letter was dated November 2024.

Letter 2 was from the HM Courts & Tribunals, detailing the CCJ claim. The dates and timelines on this effectively leave me with 3 days to respond.

The debt is legit, it’s within the 6 year exclusion period (went default in 2020).

I haven’t heard anything about it before this. They haven’t called me (probably didn’t have my correct number) and I’ve not had any other letters - I assume they went to the old address.

I’ve checked my credit file and one of my other very old debts (2014) was logged through Cabot, and the address they held was this one - it’s only listed as a linked address on my credit report.

My credit rating is already in pieces, but I was hoping that once I’d got to 6 years with no more bad reports I could start to clear things up on there. This new CCJ will set me back by quite a way.

I doubt I can get it on a payment plan at this stage, and I don’t have the funds to clear it in one go (it’s £5k).

Is there anything I can do, or am I basically screwed again (I know it’s my own fault)?

Bit frustrating as I didn’t know the debt was around, it isn’t on my credit file (the original with Marbles or the new with Cabot) but I have checked and the debt is mine. If I’d have known about it then I would have swallowed sick and dealt with Cabot to get rid of it.

I think I know there’s nothing can do, and maybe I’m just stretching for some company in misery, but after grafting my backside off for years to get things settled and paid off, I’m basically now back at square 1.