AIP declined because of unknown CCJ - is there any hope?

[sparklewater]

Feeling a bit sick tonight because AIP was declined earlier today and we were not anticipating any problems at all :(

House went on market in Feb and we spoke to our bank's mortgage dept then (planning on porting). We have been with them for 14 years, never missed a payment, etc. Went through everything, she said no problem, come back when you are actively looking and we'll get AIP issued.

Then Covid happened so all stalled for ages. We accepted an offer on our house last week and then it all happened very quickly and we had an offer accepted on our (hopefully?) new house yesterday.

So today I called up to sort the AIP and book in a proper mortgage appointment. It was all going well and then right at the end we got declined.

Checked credit score and there's a CCJ on there in my name, for £300. It's a parking ticket I hadn't known about from 2017. I got a letter about it earlier this year and paid it straight away, although I'm sure the letter didn't say it was a CCJ. It says 'settled' on the file.

Everything else is fine. All my bank accounts, savings, ISAs and mortgage are all with the same bank, so they can see how we manage our finances. We are in their 'best' customers scheme as well, if that makes a difference.

We were planning on putting down a 55% deposit (part savings, part equity) and borrowing well under the max they would allow us to (on paper, without the CCJ).

They have said they can't issue the AIP but have booked us in for a full mortgage application this Tuesday. Am I right in thinking they are going to look at it and see it for what it is or am I getting my hopes up? I can't think about anything else and I'm just seeing bad news stories everywhere :(

As far as I know, if you find anything untoward on your credit file you can write to them, with evidence and have it corrected. Usually Experian or Equifax.
Or check the Martin Lewis website to see if that has any advice too.

This doesn't sound untoward though unfortunately, it was an outstanding fine. OP if you genuinely didn't receive any other correspondence about this fine I'd start with the company it came from originally.

A ccj will take 6 years to drop off and yes it will very likely impact your ability to get credit. There are lots of regulations around what you need to be sent and the amount of notice you need to be provided before someone can apply for one so I'd be asking for evidence of that. I'm afraid if you've just ignored letters you won't have a leg to stand on.

I'd been disputing the fine but just gave up in the end and set up a monthly payment. I thought I'd paid it off ages ago and didn't think about it but then got this letter and realised that the payments hadn't been taken after a couple of months. So I paid in full immediately.

Will that count as within a month of it being issued, so they should wipe it completely?

I was just thinking, if the bank think it's a waste of my time, surely they wouldn't set up the main application meeting?

You can apply to the county court to have the judgement set aside (essentially removed) if the court believes that you were unaware of the judgement.

Takes time though and you may not be successful.

Is it worth going to a broker?

What is the date of the judgement and what day did you pay in full?

It says the date was 2017 and I paid in April this year.

I don't understand why I wouldn't have had any further letters during that time though, they had all my contact details. I haven't kept any of the info as I genuinely didn't think it was a CCJ. So annoyed with myself!

Will a broker will be able to help as it's such a small amount? I did want to stay with my bank but I suppose if that's not possible then I'll have to look around. I desperately don't want to lose this house!