What is a County Court Money Claims Centre and how does it work?
County Court
Applying to small claims court is one way to get back money you're owed. If you live in England and Wales, this will usually be dealt with by the County Court Money Claims Centre – or CCMCC. But what is the CCMCC, and how does it differ from county court itself?
The County Court Money Claims Centre – the heart of the county court system
Before 2012, if you wanted to make a claim against a debtor you'd send your N1 form directly to your local county court. Today this administration is centralised, dealt with by the County Court Money Claims Centre in Salford. As well as dealing with applications, they also handle other administrative processes in the early stages of making a claim such as default judgments, acknowledgement of service and allocation questionnaires.
When do you need to go to court?
If the debtor doesn't agree that they owe you money, disputes the amount owed or wants to pay in a way you're not happy with, the CCMCC will allocate your case to county court. You'll have noted your preferred hearing centre in your N1 form, so you can choose somewhere local to yourself or your debtor. If your claim is for less than £10,000, it's likely you'll be offered the chance to use a mediation service first.
How the County Court Money Claims Centre helps to deliver CCJs
As well as getting the ball rolling on your claim, the County Court Money Claims Centre is also responsible for issuing warrants of execution. This is one way to enforce a County Court Judgment (CCJ) that hasn't been paid – others include freezing assets, deducting money from wages and charging their land or property. The CCMCC alone can issue this type of warrant, which gives the county court bailiff team the right to pursue your debtor. Once they've made the judgment, your local county court is responsible for taking action.
If the CCJ is worth more than £600 and your debtor refuses to settle it, you can expedite the situation by speaking to Dukes Bailiffs. As well as offering help and advice, we can escalate your claim to the high court and work to get your money back faster.